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ST. LOUIS NEWS TODAY - Sunday, July 9, 2006
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AmerenUE Seeks Electric Rate Increase
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), July 9, 2006 - AmerenUE's filing, which includes a proposed average increase in electric rates of 17.7 percent or $361 million, would mark the first electric rate increase for AmerenUE in almost 20 years.
The company is also proposing to limit the increase on residential rates to 10 percent, allocating revenue amounts above that level to other customer classes. Under the application, a typical residential customer using 1,000 kilowatt-hours a month would see the electric bill rise from approximately $66 per month to $72 per month, excluding taxes. Even with this increase, a typical AmerenUE residential electric customer would be paying rates that would be below AmerenUE's 1991 levels.
In addition to the proposed limit on the residential rate increase, the company has committed to working with key stakeholders during the rate review process to develop low income energy assistance and energy conservation programs to help address customers' needs.
In a statement, Gary L. Rainwater, chairman, president and chief executive officer, Ameren Corporation, said, "For decades, our focus on our core energy business, cost control and operating efficiencies has resulted in our customers enjoying some of the lowest electric rates in the nation," said . "Our customers have come to expect AmerenUE to deliver a highly reliable, environmentally friendly supply of electricity at reasonable prices. We are committed to continuing to meet their expectations -- now and in the future."
He added, "We recognize that our customers are experiencing meaningful increases in many of their monthly costs, consistent with trends we are seeing across the nation. Because we are concerned about how these increases will impact each family's budget, our proposal seeks to develop a program to assist our most vulnerable customers who need help paying their electric bills."
He stressed that the company will continue to give to, and encourage others to contribute to, its Dollar More program, the region's largest private energy assistance fund for customers in need. AmerenUE will also encourage customers to participate in Budget Billing, a company program that levels monthly bill amounts.
Through this filing, AmerenUE is proposing to develop at least 100 megawatts of wind power that will benefit all AmerenUE customers and to launch a voluntary program allowing customers to support additional development of wind power and other forms of renewable energy.
AmerenUE's filing also includes proposed economic development incentive rates for nonresidential customers who move operations into targeted urban areas where the City of St. Louis is trying to spur re-development. Eligible projects would provide social and economic benefits in areas where jobs are needed and re-development is critical to area improvement.
Finally, Rainwater added that consistent with the company's commitment to accept full responsibility for the effects of the Dec. 14 failure of its Taum Sauk Plant, AmerenUE has not included in the rate request filed today the related costs that the company has incurred. Those costs include the clean-up of Johnson's Shut-Ins state park, reimbursement of state costs and resolution of individual claims.
The company's proposal is subject to the customary rate review process, which includes review and approval by the MoPSC. A decision is expected no later than June 2007.
Baseball Fans Foul Out on Risky Screensaver Sites
ST. LOUIS, (PRNewswire), July 9, 2006 - McAfee SiteAdvisor analysis predicts a surprising loser in next week's Major League Baseball's All-Star Game: the fan.
That's because nearly one out of five baseball player screensavers comes bundled with adware, spyware or other unrelated and unwanted software.
McAfee SiteAdvisor software analyzed more than 12,000 search results for MLB player screensavers and desktop "wallpapers" to see which come with unwanted software. McAfee found that searching for Colorado Rockies' Josh Fogg, San Francisco Giants' Barry Bonds and St Louis Cardinals' Albert Pujols generate the most risky sites. The team with the riskiest overall player roster, meanwhile, is the New York Yankees.
McAfee SiteAdvisor, which has pioneered Web safety by testing and rating, on an ongoing basis, nearly every trafficked site on the Internet, searched Google for each of the Major League Baseball's 1,224 player names followed by the word 'screensaver.' The first page of these results was compared to SiteAdvisor's proprietary database of spyware and spam safety test results for more than 4.5 million of the Web's most popular sites.
More than 300 players' screensaver searches yielded more than 30% risky sites in search results. Further searching for many of the heaviest hitters yields a better-than-50% chance of landing on a risky site.
"Many of us in the information security industry know that screensavers are popular routes used by adware and spyware vendors to deliver their goods," said Chris Dixon, director of strategy for McAfee SiteAdvisor. "However, with Americans conducting more than 15 million searches for screensavers and desktop 'wallpapers' every month, unfortunately this information isn't getting through."
Rising gas prices caught area motorists by surprise Friday morning when gas prices rose to just under $3 per gallon for regular in Missouri and over $3 in Illinois.
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Rising Gas Prices Catch Area Motorists by Surprise
ST. LOUIS, (SLFP.com), July 7, 2006 - Motorists in the St. Louis area were caught by surprise when gas prices hit just under $3 per gallon, two days after Governor Matt Blunt signed legislation requiring gasoline sold in Missouri to contain 10 percent ethanol (E-10) by 2008.
On June 26, the Missouri Department of Natural Resourses stated that concerns over gasoline supplies for the summer driving season were renewed
following a recent U.S. Department of Energy report showing gasoline
supplies are 2.5 million barrels lower than last year at this time.
The price increase was associated with cooling loads from hot temperatures across much of the U.S. Civil unrest in Nigeria, a labor dispute in Norway and Iran's continued commitment to its nuclear enrichment program are also contributing to a strong crude oil market with prices that again exceeded $70 per barrel.
During a stop in St. Louis, Blunt said, "I am pleased to sign this bill giving Missourians access to the affordable, homegrown gasoline they want and that they can be proud to use when they fill their tanks. This renewable fuel standard benefits consumers, our economy, the environment, and Missouri farmers.
"It means Missouri corn fields will be the oil fields of the 21st century, contributing $348 million annually in value added income to Missouri's economy and generating $726 million annually in economic activity. I am pleased the general assembly answered my call to make this important legislation a priority for this session."
Missouri currently has three operating ethanol plants, in Macon, Malta Bend, and Craig, that produce about 115 million gallons of ethanol annually. A fourth ethanol plant in Laddonia will begin operations later this year. Anticipated growth in Missouri's ethanol industry will produce more than enough fuel to meet the new E-10 standard.
The first four ethanol plants in Missouri will consume approximately 55 million bushels of corn annually and raise the value of Missouri's corn by $41 million at the farm level annually. Estimates indicate that farmers can expect a five to fifteen cent per bushel price increase for corn as the demand for ethanol increases.
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