The Missouri Energy Efficient Natural Gas Equipment Rebate Program offers AmerenUE's 125,000 Missouri gas customers rebates for a portion of the cost of the following Energy Star(R) qualified products:
? Programmable auto setback thermostats. Limited to residential customers, the rebate will provide $25, or 50 percent of the cost of purchasing one Energy Star(R) qualified thermostat, whichever is less.
? Residential Energy Star(R) listed natural gas furnaces. Residential customers may receive a rebate of $200, or 50 percent of the cost of purchasing and installing one Energy Star(R) listed natural gas furnace, whichever is less.
? Energy-efficient commercial natural gas utilization equipment. Commercial customers who purchase and install one Energy Star(R) listed commercial natural gas utilization product\-such as a furnace, fryer or steam cooker\-may receive a rebate of $375, or 50 percent of the cost, whichever is less.
Except for energy-efficient thermostats, all equipment must be installed by April 30, 2007, to qualify for the rebate. But before purchasing and installing a qualified residential natural gas furnace or commercial natural gas utilization equipment, customers must call 1-800-210-8131 to obtain a Reservation Code. This code will help ensure that sufficient funds for the rebate are still available.
To obtain the rebate, customers must then submit a rebate form with required documentation to the address given on the form. Rebate forms and full program details are available by visiting the Ameren Web site (www.ameren.com) and going to "Natural Gas Center." The Web site provides a link to a list of Energy Star(R) products that qualify for the rebates. Customers can also get information or request rebate forms by calling 314-342-1111 in the St. Louis area, or 1-800-552-7583 elsewhere.
Because funding is limited, customers who wish to take advantage of the rebates are urged to apply early. Rebate checks will be mailed within eight to 10 weeks after the submission of a completed rebate form.
This pilot program was developed by a collaborative team that included representatives of AmerenUE, the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC), the Missouri Office of Public Counsel, and the Missouri Department of Natural Resources Energy Center. It is aimed at promoting more effective use of natural gas by encouraging the replacement of inefficient natural gas equipment with highly-efficient Energy Star(R) products.
"The goal of this program is to educate our customers and help them see that energy efficiency does make a difference," says Greg Lovett, managing supervisor, Products and Services, for Ameren Services. "We also want to generate awareness for the Energy Star(R) label and encourage our customers to purchase energy efficient equipment."
AmerenUE is funding the program as part of a natural gas rate case settlement approved in 2003 by the PSC and other parties.
The company paid rebates totaling nearly $28,000 during the initial application period that ran from February through March 2005, and nearly $81,000 during the second application period that ran from October 2005 through January 2006.
Energy Star(R) was originally introduced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 1992 as a voluntary market-based partnership to reduce air pollution through increased energy efficiency. Today, with assistance from the U.S. Department of Energy, the program offers businesses and consumers energy efficient solutions to save energy and money, and to help protect the environment. More information about Energy Star(R) can be found at the following Web site: www.energystar.gov.
AmerenUE is a subsidiary of St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation. Ameren, through its subsidiaries, serves 2.4 million electric customers and nearly one million natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area of Missouri and Illinois.
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