Illinois Choice

Business Customer Handbook

Introduction

The Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law became effective in late 1997. This law allows customers to choose who supplies their electricity. Combined services traditionally provided by the local electric utility have now been divided into parts: Your regulated electric utility continues to deliver your power over the wires using their transmission and distribution facilities. However, the power running through those wires will be sold to you by the company of your choice – your utility, or an Alternative Retail Electric Supplier (Supplier). You can choose to continue to purchase your power from Ameren, or you can buy your power from a Supplier.

Should you decide to purchase your energy from a Supplier, you will then be eligible to choose to receive metering services from Ameren or a Metering Services Provider (MSP). If you choose an MSP, Ameren will no longer own, install, read, calibrate and maintain your meter. Instead, the MSP will perform these processes for you and be responsible for providing Ameren with the meter data needed for each billing period. A current list of MSPs certified by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) can be found on the ICC website.

Whether you choose a Supplier and/or an MSP, Ameren will continue to deliver your electricity and to offer quality service.

Note that you should still call Ameren about power quality problems, power outages, and downed power lines – just as you do today.

The toll-free numbers to call are:

AmerenCILCO:	888.677.5740
AmerenCIPS:	888.232.2477
AmerenIP:	800.363.6805

This handbook is designed to answer questions about delivering energy, switching to a Supplier or MSP, paying your bills, and other matters. It explains your rights and responsibilities – no matter who supplies the power you use. We at Ameren are always available to answer your questions or help solve your service problems.

Energy Choices
In Ameren’s Illinois service territories, customers have several energy options from which to choose. The following is an explanation of each.

	Basic Generation Service (BGS) The default option that represents the energy price obtained by state-run Illinois Power Agency. More about the BGS energy supply option:
		-	Energy is provided to the customer at a fixed price by an Ameren Illinois utility.
		-	BGS is the default service for residential customers that do not choose a Supplier.
		-	Service includes summer and non-summer charges.
	Real Time Pricing (RTP) and Hourly Supply Service (HSS) An option that allows customers (except DS-5 lighting customers) to pay fluctuating hourly market price for electricity. RTP applies to service points with annual peak demands under 400 kW (DS1 and DS2, and DS3A service points). HSS applies to service points with annual peak demands greater than 400 kW (DS3B and DS4 service points). More about the RTP and HSS energy supply options:
		-	Energy is priced at actual hourly MISO Locational Marginal Prices (LMP) and provided by an Ameren Illinois utility.
		-	Customers are required to have interval metering before this option can be selected.
		-	The RTP energy option allows unlimited switching to and from a Supplier – subject to switching rules.
	Supplier An option that allows the customer to be billed for delivery services charges from Ameren and for energy from a Supplier. More about the Supplier option:
		-	Some Suppliers offer the Single Billing Option (SBO) – in which case the Supplier would not only bill the customer for energy, but would also bill the customer for the delivery services charges on behalf of Ameren.
		-	Ameren currently only recognizes one Supplier per account.
		-	A customer may choose to purchase power from both Ameren (via the RTP or HSS option) and a Supplier. When this happens, the customer must designate the portion of the load being purchased from Ameren. Ameren allows load to be split by percentages, by first-through-the-meter, and by separate metering.

Working with a Supplier
A Supplier may contact you by phone, by mail, or in-person. If you wish to contact a Supplier, a list of Suppliers registered to supply commercial and industrial accounts can be found on the Suppliers Registered with Ameren page.

When you are considering switching to a Supplier, the Supplier will ask for your information (e.g. your name, billing address, service address, Ameren account number, meter number). It is okay to provide this information to a Supplier if you are interested in switching to their service. The switch to a Supplier cannot be completed until all terms and conditions have been explained, and you provide authorization for the switch. The valid forms of authorization are a written signature, electronic signature, or a taped third party verification performed over the phone. Once you agree to switch to a Supplier, the utility is authorized to release a range of customer data, including your historic and ongoing electricity usage data.

Certified Suppliers All Suppliers serving customers in Illinois are certified by the Illinois Commerce Commission. To view a list of Suppliers registered to do business with Ameren, see the Suppliers Registered with Ameren page. Customer Information Once your switch to a Supplier is effective, the Supplier will begin receiving ongoing monthly usage data. You may also request, or the Supplier may request per separate written authorization from you, billing data including revenues and payment history. With proper authorization Ameren will send this information to the Supplier. You, as the customer, will always have the right to block the release of all data. Be aware that your account number and your meter number are the validation criteria to switch to a Supplier. This means that the Supplier must have these two numbers correct to process the switch. Please keep these numbers confidential. Do not give them to anyone unless you are seriously considering switching to a Supplier. Ameren will not update the Supplier with changes in personal information on your account (i.e. name change, address change, or new telephone numbers). Ameren will also not accept personal information changes to your account from a Supplier, unless you have signed an Agency Agreement with the Supplier. If you have not signed an Agency Agreement with the Supplier, then you will need to contact both Ameren and the Supplier with changes in personal information. Effective Date of Switch to a Supplier A standard switch will take place on your next scheduled meter reading date and in accordance with the terms of your contract with your Supplier. If you desire to switch on a date other than a scheduled meter reading date, then you must request an off-cycle switch. The fee for an off-cycle switch is $50 per meter switched. You will be billed this fee on your monthly delivery services bill. Ameren will honor the first switch request received from a Supplier. If Ameren receives a second request from another Supplier before the first switch request is activated, then the second request will be rejected. When the Supplier submits a switch request, Ameren will send out a letter notifying you of the impending switch. If the switching information on this notification letter is incorrect, then you must notify Ameren as soon as possible. Ameren can stop the pending switch if notified at least two days prior to the scheduled switch date. Loss of Service Ameren has no responsibility for claims, damages or losses resulting from your relationship with the Supplier regarding delivery or non-delivery of energy or energy services. If the Illinois Commerce Commission decertifies a supplier or the supplier materially defaults in its service agreement, then we will notify you as quickly as possible of the change and of your service options. If a Supplier stops doing business and your account is classified as DS2 (less than 150 kW) or DS3A (greater than 150 kW but less than 400 kW), then it will be placed on BGS (Basic Generation Service) supply. A DS3B (greater than 400 kW but less than 1000 kW) or DS4 (greater than 1000 kW) account will be placed on HSS (Hourly Supply Service) supply. Switching to a Retail Electric Supplier Ameren will rely on the Supplier to submit a switch request at least seven calendar days before but no more than 45 calendar days before the effective date of the switch.

Metering Choices
If you are buying energy from a Supplier, Ameren will send meter reading information to that Supplier each month. Ameren will use these same reads to calculate your bill for delivery services.

As a delivery services customer, you have the option of choosing a Metering Services Provider (MSP). Should you choose an MSP, then the MSP will own, install, read, calibrate and maintain your meter(s). The MSP will be responsible for sending meter reading data to the RES and to Ameren. Ameren will use this information to bill for delivery services and to maintain your historical usage information.

If an MSP is providing your metering services, then your scheduled meter reading dates should not change. The MSP is required to provide Ameren with monthly reads on a timely basis to coincide with Ameren’s billing schedule.

A current list of MSPs certified by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) can be found on the ICC website.

Payment Provisions

Delivery Services Charges Each customer with an account enrolled with a Supplier pays a fee for delivery services based on Ameren’s costs for providing service and the customer’s own usage. The prices are stated in tariffs approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission. Billing Delivery services bills from Ameren include detailed information such as itemized listings for delivery services charges, as well as energy and public purpose program charges. Charges for public purpose programs have been part of your Ameren bills since Jan. 1, 1998. Public purpose programs help low-income customers and support development of renewable energy. You may have two billing options if you switch to a RES: Single Bill - Your Supplier will consolidate its bill and Ameren’s bill so that you continue to receive one bill for energy and delivery services charges. If you accept this offer, you may remain responsible for paying delivery services charges that your Supplier may have collected from you but failed to pass on to Ameren. Dual Billing – You will receive Ameren’s delivery services bill as well as a separate bill from the Supplier for the energy used during the billing period. Regardless of the billing option chosen, Ameren’s bill due dates, late pay charges, and collection activities will not change. Payment A customer who switches to a Supplier will have the same payment options available for the delivery services portion of his/her bill as were available before making the switch. Payments can be made via CheckFree, DirectPay, SpeedPay, or by “traditional” mail-in check. Keep in mind, however, that payments received by Ameren will only be applied against Ameren’s charges. Supplier charges will need to be paid to the Supplier. Also, if the Supplier is providing a single bill to present Ameren’s and the RES’ charges, then CheckFree, DirectPay, and SpeedPay through Ameren will not be available payment options. If you switch to a Supplier, then the rules for payment due dates for Ameren’s charges will not change. However, payment due dates for Supplier charges will be dictated by the contract terms of the agreement you signed with the Supplier. If the Supplier is presenting a single bill to a customer for both Ameren’s and the Supplier’s charges, then the law states that partial payments from the customer will first be applied to the delivery services (Ameren’s) charges. If you have a problem with your delivery services fees or in paying your delivery services payment in full, then contact Ameren to request a deferred payment agreement. Any settlement agreement extending beyond 60 days will be put in writing and you will receive a copy of it. If you have a payment issue with the Supplier’s charges, then you must work that problem out with the Supplier.

Disputes/Complaints:
If you have a problem that you are unable to resolve with Ameren or your Supplier, you may contact the ICC by phone at 800.858.9277 or via the internet at http://www.icc.illinois.gov/consumer/complaint/. When contacting the ICC, you can also request additional electric choice information