Dive Brief:
- Missouri regulators yesterday approved a request filed by Union Electric Co. dba Ameren Missouri to adjust the Energy Efficiency Investment Charge (EEIC) that appears on the monthly bills of electric customers of Ameren Missouri.
- While the overall change is an increase, it will show up differently for varying customer classes. A typical residential customer will see the monthly EEIC charge drop by approximately $0.22, effective Jan. 25.
- Ameren Missouri’s EEIC rider adjustment increases rates by approximately $31.4 million. Among the reasons for the change is an overall increase in projected energy efficiency program costs, primarily in the business programs.
Dive Insight:
The EEIC is designed to encourage utility companies to implement demand-side and energy efficiency programs, and was created as part of the Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act.
The mechanism is reflected as a separate line item on customer bills, and residential customers will see a decrease of approximately $0.22 a month, effective January 25, reflecting costs of approved energy efficiency programs.
According to testimony filed by Ameren, there are three primary drivers to the change in the EEIC.
There has been an overall increase in projected energy efficiency program costs, primarily in the business programs, as well as an increase in projected throughput disincentive and the completion of a large throughput disincentive under-collection recovery due to a spike in program participation in the fourth quarter of 2015. Another factor is the inclusion of $13.6 million of performance incentives earned by the company for its 2013-2015 energy efficiency programs.
Ameren Missouri serves more than 1.25 million electric customers.
