The Process behind the Proposed Energy Efficiency, Energy Management Programs to Help AmerenUE Customers Save on Electric Costs
Stakeholders from a range of organizations have joined AmerenUE in proposing a suite of energy conservation and energy management programs that will help business customers increase their company’s energy efficiency, reduce electric operating costs and improve their bottom lines. They will help residential customers reduce electricity bills at home.
	Part of Planning Process
	These initiatives are part of AmerenUE’s overall resource planning process, intended to allow Ameren to provide safe, reliable and efficient energy services at just and reasonable rates. In general, the objectives of the company’s resource planning process are to use cost-effective energy efficiency and renewable resources to reduce demand for electricity before adding new generating resources. In Missouri, AmerenUE’s planning efforts follow an integrated resource planning (IRP) policy model. Through this IRP process, regulators establish rules for the development of energy efficiency, demand-response, additional generation and other initiatives. In its rate case completed in 2007, AmerenUE committed to spend a minimum of $13 million per year on energy efficiency and demand-response initiatives beginning in 2008, increasing to a minimum of $20 million by 2010. These initiatives are expected to defer the need to build generation.
	Call for Comments
	We need AmerenUE residential and business customers’ opinions on whether the proposed programs for use of that money respond to their needs. Here, the goal is to design the most effective portfolio of programs to reduce energy demand and save customers money, while improving the environment and avoiding higher costs because for all of us, this is a pocketbook issue. Forward your opinions on the proposed programs to advertising@ameren.com.