ST. LOUIS, April 5 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- AmerenUE, a Missouri-based utility subsidiary of Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE), has signed an agreement with UniStar Nuclear to help prepare a combined construction and operating license application (COLA) for filing with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). A COLA is a construction operating license application describing how a nuclear plant would be designed, constructed and operated.
Preparing a COLA does not mean a decision has been made to build a nuclear plant. It is only the first step in the regulatory licensing process.
UniStar Nuclear is a joint enterprise that helps develop, license, construct and operate new, standardized nuclear units. UniStar Nuclear has chosen the U.S. Evolutionary Power Reactor (U.S. EPR) design as its technology of choice and is working with experienced nuclear utility licensees across the nation to explore suitable sites for U.S. EPR nuclear plants. AmerenUE has operated a single-unit nuclear plant in Callaway County, Mo., since 1984, and the Callaway Plant location is one of a number of sites UniStar is evaluating in the Midwest.
AmerenUE and UniStar Nuclear need to submit the COLA to the NRC in 2008 to be eligible for incentives available under provisions of the 2005 Energy Policy Act.
St. Louis-based AmerenUE serves 1.2 million electric and natural gas customers in Missouri. The Ameren companies serve 2.4 million electric customers and nearly one million natural gas customers across 64,000 square miles of Missouri and Illinois.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
Certain statements in this release relate to future events and expectations and, as such, constitute forward-looking statements involving known and unknown factors that may cause actual results to be different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. In this context, words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "will," or other similar words and phrases often identify forward-looking statements. In connection with the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, we are providing this cautionary statement to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The following factors, in addition to those discussed elsewhere in this release and in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations as suggested by such forward- looking statements: regulatory or legislative actions, including changes in regulatory policies and ratemaking determinations; changes in laws and other governmental actions, including monetary and fiscal policies; the effects of increased competition in the future due to, among other things, deregulation of certain aspects of our business at both the state and federal levels, and the implementation of deregulation; the effects of participation in the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc; the availability of fuel, such as enriched uranium used to produce electricity; the level and volatility of future market prices for such commodities, including the ability to recover the costs for such commodities; business and economic conditions, including their impact on interest rates; disruptions of the capital markets or other events that make access to necessary capital more difficult or costly; actions of credit rating agencies and the effects of such actions; and legal and administrative proceedings. Given these uncertainties, undue reliance should not be placed on these forward-looking statements. Except to the extent required by the federal securities laws, we undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events, or otherwise.
SOURCE: AmerenUE
CONTACT: Media: Mike Cleary, +1-573-681-7137, mcleary@ameren.com , or
Tim Fox, +1-314-554-3120, tfox@ameren.com , or Susan Gallagher,
+1-314-554-2175, sgallagher@ameren.com , or Investors: Bruce Steinke,
+1-314-554-2574, bsteinke@ameren.com , all for AmerenUE
Web site: http://www.ameren.com/