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Ameren Encourages Customers to Move to Budget Billing to Counter High Electric Bills
Ameren utility company officials are encouraging residential electric customers across Illinois and Missouri to sign for up Budget Billing/Levelized Payment Plans to help them lessen the impact of expected higher summer electric bills due to increased energy use.

More than 500,000 of Ameren's 2.3 million electric and natural gas customers use the plans, which eliminate billing surprises by spreading energy costs evenly over several months. Budget Billing is offered by AmerenCILCO, AmerenCIPS and AmerenUE, while AmerenIP customers may enroll in the Levelized Payment Plan.

No additional deposit is required for Budget Billing/Levelized Payment Plan. The plans allow customers to pay an average monthly bill amount based on the last 12 months of usage. The program is open to electric-only, gas-only and combination electric and gas customers. Customers may enroll in the program or request program removal at any time.

To sign up for Budget Billing/Levelized Payment Plan or for other information, AmerenCILCO residential customers should call 309-672-5252 (Peoria area) or 1-888-672-5252 (Toll Free). AmerenCIPS residential customers should call 1-888- 789-2477 to sign up. Customers can reach AmerenIP by dialing 1-800-755-5000. Customers in the St. Louis metropolitan area can sign up by calling AmerenUE at 342-1111. In other areas, the number to call for AmerenUE customers is 1-800- 552-7583.

Customers who are having difficulty paying their bills should immediately call their Ameren utility company for assistance, including information about the payment agreement plan.

Ameren customers also may enroll in Budget Billing or the Levelized Payment Plan by visiting Ameren's Web site (www.ameren.com). Also on the Web site is information about rates, cutting energy costs and managing accounts.

Ameren companies serve 2.3 million electric customers and 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area of Missouri and Illinois. The parent company and AmerenUE are based in St. Louis; the headquarters of AmerenCILCO is in Peoria, Ill.; AmerenCIPS is in Springfield, Ill., and AmerenIP is in Decatur, Ill.