Customers Pound Ameren at Hearing

Belleville News-Democrat:

Irate customers blasted Ameren Corp. on Tuesday during a public hearing on the utility company's request to raise rates...

Customers who spoke at a hearing at a St. Louis County library were almost unanimous in saying that Ameren has earned too much profit while investing too little in infrastructure and customer service.

Ameren filed its rate request this summer before major storms knocked out power to more than 600,000 customers -- some losing electricity for up to a week. Ice storms in November caused another major blackout, with 500,000 customers losing power and repairs again stretching on for days.