Illinois Choice

Residential Customer Handbook

Introduction

The Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law became effective in late 1997. This law allows a customer the option to choose who supplies their electricity. The combined services traditionally provided by the local electric utility have been divided into parts: The regulated electric utility continues to deliver electric power over the wires using their transmission and distribution facilities. However, the power running through those wires is sold to a customer by the company of that customer’s choice: the customer’s utility or an Alternative Retail Electric Supplier (a.k.a. “Supplier”). A customer can choose to continue to purchase power from Ameren, or can buy power from a Supplier.

Regardless of whether a customer chooses a Supplier, Ameren will continue to deliver the electricity and to offer quality service. A Customer should always call Ameren to report power quality problems, power outages, or downed power lines. Ameren customer service representatives can also answer questions concerning electric choice issues. The toll-free numbers to call are:

AmerenCILCO:	888.672.5252
AmerenCIPS:	888.789.2477
AmerenIP:	800.755.5000

Electric Supply Options
In the Ameren Illinois Utilities’ service territories, customers have several electric supply options from which to choose. These options are described immediately below:

	Basic Generation Service (BGS)
		-	Electricity is provided to the customer at a fixed price by an Ameren Illinois Utility (i.e. AmerenCILCO, AmerenCIPS, or AmerenIP).
		-	The BGS price represents the electric supply price obtained by the state-run Illinois Power Agency.
		-	Default supply option for all residential accounts.
	Real Time Pricing (RTP)
		-	Allows a customer to pay fluctuating hourly market prices for electricity.
		-	Electricity is priced at actual hourly MISO Locational Marginal Prices (LMP) and provided by an Ameren Illinois Utility.
		-	Interval metering must be installed before the switch to RTP can be effectuated.
		-	Not available for DS5 (lighting) service points.
	Supplier
		-	An Alternative Retail Electric Supplier (a.k.a. “Supplier”) supplies electricity to customers in the Ameren Illinois Utilities’ service territories who have chosen to enroll to that Supplier. The electricity from the Supplier is delivered to the customer via Ameren’s distribution lines.
		-	When a customer elects to enroll to a Supplier, that customer will still be billed for Ameren’s delivery services charges (e.g. charges for maintaining the distribution lines that deliver the electricity). However, since the Supplier is selling the electricity flowing through Ameren’s lines to the customer’s home, the Supplier determines the rate (i.e. price per kilowatt-Hour) for the electricity supply charges.
		-	There are several Suppliers from which to choose. A current listing of Suppliers that are registered with Ameren is posted to the Suppliers Registered with Ameren page.
		-	Different Suppliers offer different billing options. Some Suppliers directly bill their customers for electric supply charges, leaving Ameren to separately bill the same customer for Ameren’s delivery services charges. Other Suppliers package both their own electric supply charges with Ameren’s delivery services charges into one single bill. Still other Suppliers send their electric supply charges to Ameren so that Ameren can bill both the Supplier’s electric supply charges and Ameren’s delivery services charges in a single bill.

Switching to a Supplier
A Supplier may contact a prospective customer by phone, by mail, or in-person. If a customer wishes to contact a Supplier, a list of Suppliers registered with Ameren and certified by the Illinois Commerce Commission to supply commercial and industrial accounts can be found on the Suppliers Registered with Ameren page.

When a customer is considering switching to a Supplier, the Supplier will ask the customer for certain pieces of information (e.g. name, billing address, service address, Ameren account number, meter number). It is okay for a customer to provide this information to a Supplier if the customer is interested in switching to the Supplier’s service. The switch to a Supplier cannot be completed until all terms and conditions have been explained, and the customer has provided authorization for the switch. The valid forms of authorization are a written signature, electronic signature, or a recorded third party verification performed over the phone. Once a customer has agreed to switch to a Supplier, the Supplier will submit an electronic enrollment transaction to Ameren. If the enrollment transaction is accepted (i.e. it contains a valid account number), Ameren is authorized to release a range of customer data to that Supplier, including the customer’s historic and ongoing electricity usage data.

Customer Information Once an enrollment to a Supplier is effective, the Supplier will begin receiving ongoing monthly usage data. A customer may also request, or the Supplier may request per a separate written authorization from the customer, billing data including revenues and payment history. An Ameren account number is the validation criteria needed for a Supplier to enroll a customer’s account. This means that the Supplier must have this number correct in order to successfully submit the enrollment to Ameren. A customer should not give an account number to a Supplier unless the customer is considering switching to the Supplier. Ameren will not accept personal information changes to a customer’s account from a Supplier unless the customer has signed an Agency Agreement designating the Supplier as the customer’s agent. Effective Date of Enrollment to a Supplier An enrollment will take place on a customer’s account’s next scheduled meter reading date and in accordance with the terms of the contract with the Supplier. Ameren will honor the first enrollment request received from a Supplier. If Ameren receives a second enrollment request from another Supplier before the first enrollment is activated, then the second enrollment request will be rejected. The enrollment transaction from the Supplier must be processed by Ameren at least ten calendar days plus two business days (but no more than 45 calendar days) prior to the account’s next scheduled meter reading date. Rescissions When a Supplier submits a valid enrollment request to Ameren, Ameren will send out a letter notifying the customer of the impending enrollment. If the enrollment information on the notification letter is incorrect, or if the customer has changed his/her mind regarding the enrollment, then the customer must notify Ameren as soon as possible. Specifically, the customer has ten calendar days from the date that Ameren processes the Supplier’s enrollment to contact Ameren and request a rescission of the pending enrollment. The last day of the ten calendar day rescission window is stated in the customer enrollment letter. Note that a Supplier may assess a fee to the customer for rescinding the Supplier’s enrollment. Loss of Service Ameren has no responsibility for claims, damages or losses resulting from a customer’s relationship with a Supplier regarding delivery or non-delivery of energy or energy services. If the Illinois Commerce Commission revokes a Supplier’s certificate or the supplier materially defaults in its service agreement, then Ameren will notify that Supplier’s customers as quickly as possible regarding the change and the available supply options. If a Supplier stops doing business, then that Supplier’s residential accounts will be placed on Ameren BGS supply.

Payment Provisions for Accounts Enrolled to a Supplier

Delivery Services Charges Each customer with an account enrolled to a Supplier pays a fee for delivery services based on Ameren’s costs for providing service and the customer’s own usage. The prices are stated in tariffs approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission. Billing Delivery services bills from Ameren include detailed information such as itemized listings for delivery services charges as well as energy and public purpose program charges. Charges for public purpose programs have been part of Ameren bills since Jan. 1, 1998. Public purpose programs help low-income customers and support development of renewable energy. A Supplier may offer a prospective customer one or more of the following billing options from which to choose: Dual Billing – The customer receives two bills: One bill from Ameren for its delivery services charges, and a separate bill from the Supplier for the its electric supply charges. Single Bill Option - The Supplier consolidates its electric supply charges and Ameren’s delivery services charges so that the customer receives one bill. Utility Consolidated Billing – Ameren consolidates its delivery services charges and the Supplier’s electric supply charges so that the customer receives one bill. Regardless of the billing option, Ameren’s bill due dates, late pay charges, and collection activities will not change. Payment When a customer’s account is enrolled to a Supplier and is placed on Dual Billing, the customer will have the same payment options available to pay for the Ameren delivery services portion of the bill as were available prior to the enrollment. Payments can be made via CheckFree, DirectPay, SpeedPay, or by “traditional” mail-in check. When a customer’s account is enrolled to a Supplier and is placed on the Single Bill Option, the Supplier expects payment from the customer for the Ameren delivery services charges. The Supplier, upon receipt of a customer payment, forwards any amount due to Ameren on to Ameren. Note that the law states that partial payments from the customer to a Supplier must first be applied to Ameren’s delivery services charges. When a customer’s account is enrolled to a Supplier and is placed on Utility Consolidated Billing, the customer will have the same payment options available to pay for the Ameren delivery services charges and the Supplier’s charges as were available prior to the enrollment. Payments can be made via CheckFree, DirectPay, SpeedPay, or by “traditional” mail-in check. When a customer switches to a Supplier, the rules for payment due dates for Ameren’s charges do not change. However, payment due dates for Supplier charges (billed via dual billing or the Single Bill Option) will be dictated by the contract terms of the agreement that the customer signed with the Supplier. If a customer has a question concerning delivery services fees or is having difficulty paying Ameren delivery services charges in full, then the customer should contact Ameren to request a deferred payment agreement. The customer will receive, in writing, a copy of any settlement agreement extending beyond 60 days. If a customer has a payment issue with the Supplier’s charges, then the customer must work that problem out with the Supplier.

Disputes/Complaints:
For problems that a customer is unable to resolve with Ameren or its Supplier, the customer may contact the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) or the Illinois Attorney General. The ICC may be contacted by phone at 800.524.0795 or via the internet at http://www.icc.illinois.gov/consumer/complaint/. When contacting the ICC, a customer can also request additional electric choice information. The Illinois Attorney General may be contacted by phone at 312.814.3000 (northern Illinois) and 217.782.1090 (central and southern Illinois).