Ameren Illinois Utilities' Power Smart Pricing - A Real-Time Pricing Option for Customers
October 09 2007 - 3:57PM
PR Newswire (US)
PEORIA, Ill., SPRINGFIELD, Ill. and DECATUR, Ill., Oct. 9
/PRNewswire/ -- Electric residential customers of the Ameren
Illinois utilities (AmerenCILCO, AmerenCIPS and AmerenIP) are
eligible to enroll in an optional program for real-time electricity
pricing, called Power Smart Pricing. The program offers customers a
choice in how they pay for electricity. Power Smart Pricing may
help customers save money by giving them access to hourly,
market-based electricity prices. While these prices vary, often the
market-based price of electricity is lower than the price under the
standard residential rate. Customers can increase their savings by
taking simple actions to conserve energy during the hours when
prices rise. Ameren has contracted the services of CNT Energy to
administer the program. CNT Energy is a non-profit organization
that helps consumers and communities obtain the information and
services they need to better control energy costs. The organization
was founded by the Center for Neighborhood Technology. CNT Energy
is a leader in real-time pricing, having launched the nation's
first large-scale residential real-time pricing program in 2003. In
February, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) approved CNT
Energy as the real-time pricing program administrator for the
Ameren Illinois utilities. Customers interested in Power Smart
Pricing may request additional information and enrollment materials
directly from CNT Energy by calling 1-877-655-6028, or via the Web
site: http://www.powersmartpricing.org/. "We are pleased that
residential customers have this added option for electric supply,"
says Stan Ogden, vice president of Customer Service and Public
Relations for Ameren Illinois. "It allows customers to take an
informed, active role in managing their electric use." CNT Energy
Director Anne Evens says, "Bringing real-time pricing to
residential consumers is what we do, and Ameren Illinois customers
who participate in the Power Smart Pricing program will benefit
from CNT Energy's years of experience and past successes."
Beginning this month, CNT Energy will be mailing Power Smart
Pricing information to many of Ameren Illinois' residential
electric customers. In addition, customers can visit
http://www.powersmartpricing.org/ for program information. CNT
Energy will provide enhanced services to participants to help them
make the most of their energy dollar. For example, CNT Energy will
notify participants in advance when high hourly prices are
anticipated, and will provide educational materials, personalized
updates and online tools designed to help customers save energy.
"By partnering with CNT Energy, we have a leader in real-time
pricing on board to help interested customers manage their energy
budgets," says Ogden. How it works -- In contrast to the basic
summer and winter rate customers typically pay for electric supply,
real-time pricing allows customers to pay a fluctuating hourly
price for electricity -- a price driven by the market demand for
energy. -- Power Smart Pricing participants have access to price
forecasts that can be used to guide their energy use, and
potentially save them money. -- CNT Energy will alert Power Smart
Pricing participants in advance by e-mail or phone any time the
price of electricity is expected to be high. -- Participating in
Power Smart Pricing will not impact the amount of the Illinois
General Assembly rate relief rebates or credits that customers
receive. Program participants will receive the same amount that
they would have otherwise received. -- Customers will be required
to remain on Power Smart Pricing for 12 months before they may
switch to another supply option. -- Customers will continue to
receive their electric bill from their Ameren Illinois utility As
energy delivery companies, Ameren's Illinois utilities do not
profit from the sale of electricity. Whether customers choose
real-time pricing or the basic summer and winter rate, the electric
supply charges on your monthly bill represent a dollar-for-dollar
pass-through of the prices the utility paid to obtain electricity.
Under Illinois law, customers may purchase electricity from retail
energy suppliers approved by the ICC or through their electric
utility. All Ameren Illinois utility customers, including those who
select real-time pricing, will continue to pay delivery service
charges approved by the ICC. These charges are for the utility to
maintain the poles, wires and services required to deliver the
electricity. The Ameren Illinois utilities (AmerenCILCO, AmerenCIPS
and AmerenIP) serve 1.2 million electric and more than 800,000
natural gas customers in Illinois For more information about Ameren
Corp. and the Ameren Illinois utilities, visit
http://www.ameren.com/. CNT Energy (formerly the Community Energy
Cooperative) is a non-profit organization helping consumers and
communities obtain the information and services they need to
control energy costs. The organization was founded in January 2000
by the Center for Neighborhood Technology. For more information
about CNT Energy or the Center for Neighborhood Technology, visit
http://www.cntenergy.org/ or http://www.cnt.org/. DATASOURCE:
Ameren CONTACT: Metro East, Erica Abbett, +1-314-206-0604, or
Decatur, Natalie Hemmer, +1-217-424-7541, or Peoria, Neal Johnson,
+1-309-677-5284, or Springfield, Leigh Morris, +1-217-535-5228, all
of Ameren; or CNT Energy, Stephanie Folk, +1-773-269-4085 Web site:
http://www.ameren.com/ http://www.cntenergy.org/
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