COLLINSVILLE - To help its neediest customers manage their energy bills during the summer heat wave, Ameren Illinois announced today that it will make another $500,000 available to central and southern Illinois residents.
This latest contribution is part of Ameren Illinois’ ongoing commitment to help its customers who need financial assistance. Since the beginning of the summer, Ameren Illinois has contributed $1.17 million in energy assistance to low income residents.
“The recent weeks of record-breaking extreme temperatures have made life difficult for many of our customers,” said Richard Mark, President and CEO of Ameren Illinois. “Just as we’ve been working hard to keep the delivery system reliable, we remain committed to providing energy assistance to those in need, especially now.“
Qualifying customers must meet federal low-income guidelines (for a four person household, the maximum gross annual income to qualify is approximately $49,500) and must use Ameren Illinois electric service. Those qualifying households will receive a one-time grant of $250 to assist with summer electric bills, or an additional subsidy to the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Cooling Assistance.
Ameren Illinois will distribute the funds to customers through local support agencies located in Metro East St. Louis, central and east central Illinois:
• Peoria – Peoria Citizens Committee for Economic Opportunity, Inc. (PCCEO) - $100,000
• Metro East St. Louis:
o St. Clair County Intergovernmental Grants - $100,000
o Madison County Community Development - $100,000
o Catholic Urban Programs - $25,000
o Call for Help Program - $25,000
• Danville – East Central Illinois Community Action Agency (ECIAA) - $150,000
Throughout this summer, Ameren Illinois has donated $50,000 to Illinois military families and more than $600,000 to senior citizens to help offset energy costs. In June, Ameren Illinois donated $20,000 to a program that distributed fans and air conditioners to low-income individuals and families, as well as its elderly and disabled customers throughout its service area.
“These funds are going to help the most vulnerable in our community,” said Mark Kern, Chairman of the St. Clair County Board. “The seniors and disabled people with health needs that require air conditioning are eligible for these resources. We appreciate Ameren’s support for the citizens of St. Clair County.”
“This type of commitment can help out a lot of people in our communities. It’s extremely important because of the record heat that we help as many people as possible to pay their electric bills and stay safe,” added Alan Dunstan, Madison County Board Chairman.
Ameren Illinois contributes a minimum of $1 million annually to energy assistance programs, and also offers a variety of options to help customers manage their electric utility account, including Warm Neighbors Cool Friends, ActOnEnergy.com and Budget Billing.
Additionally, resources are available through the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Illinois Home Weatherization Assistance Program (IHWAP). LIHEAP and IHWAP are funded through a combination of federal and state programs. Both are administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO).
Ameren Illinois delivers energy to 1.2 million electric and 813,000 natural gas customers in downstate Illinois, and our mission is to meet their energy needs in a safe, reliable, efficient and environmentally responsible manner. Its service area covers more than 1,200 communities and 43,700 square miles. For more information, visit AmerenIllinois.com.
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