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PSC approves $260 million Ameren rate increase : Stltoday

 More than $100 million of the rate increase will go to pay for higher fuel costs, much of it for coal hauled by rail to Missouri power plants from sprawling mines in Wyoming.

PSC approves $260 million Ameren rate increase

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Ameren headquarters in St. Louis. Photo courtesy of Ameren.

2 hours ago  •  By JEFFREY TOMICH jtomich@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8320

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Rate increase at a glance

How much: 10 percent, or $260.2 million
Effective date: Jan. 2
The cost: The average residential customer will pay about $10 extra a month (based on average use of 1,100 kilowatt-hours a month).

Ameren rate increases since 2007

Ameren Missouri electric rate increases since 2007 (excludes interim adjustments related to fuel costs):
• December 12: 10 percent, $260.2 million
• July 13, 2011: 7 percent, $172 million
• May 28, 2010: 10 percent, $226 million
• Jan. 27, 2009: 8 percent, $163 million
• May 22, 2007: 3.3 percent, $43 million

The new year will bring higher electric rates for 1.2 million Ameren Missouri customers.
The Missouri Public Service Commission voted 3-1 Wednesday to approve a 10-percent, $260.2 million rate increase for the St. Louis-based utility, making it that more expensive for consumers to run their air conditioners, watch television and wash clothes.
The increase is expected to take effect Jan. 2. On average, electric bills for the typical Ameren residential customer will rise by about $10 a month. The calculation is based on average usage of 1,100 kilowatt-hours a month. Amounts will vary by customer based on actual usage.

In February, Ameren filed for a $376 million, 15-percent increase, arguing the increase was necessary to cover higher fuel costs, pay for improvements to the local electric grid and to implement energy efficiency programs.

Wednesday’s decision marks the fifth electric rate increase for Ameren Missouri since May 2007. Those increases total more than $800 million, not including interim rate adjustments for changes in prices of fuel and purchased power.

Even including Wednesday’s approved increase, Ameren Missouri’s rates remain below national and regional averages, and the lowest among investor-owned utilities in the state, said Warren Wood, the utility’s vice president of legislative and regulatory affairs.
Ameren agrees with certain parts of Wednesday’s ruling and disagrees with other parts, Wood said. But the utility wasn’t ready to offer a broader opinion because Ameren executives were still reviewing the 120-page order.

Lewis Mills Jr., the state’s consumer advocate on utility matters, said the utility got more than it deserved. The decision was “pretty favorable” for Ameren, he said.
It was inevitable that some rate increase would be approved based on information provided to the commission, but the amount “shouldn’t have been anywhere near this high,” Mills said.
The increase approved Wednesday is more unwelcome news for St. Louis area consumers who have watched utility bills rise as incomes for many fall or remain static. In fact, inflation-adjusted median household income in the St. Louis metro area fell 10 percent from 2007 to 2011, according to recent census figures.

The squeeze is especially tough for lower- and fixed-income customers who sometimes are forced to choose between running their air conditioners and buying groceries or medicine — a point raised at some of the dozen public hearings held across Ameren’s service area this summer.

More than $100 million of the rate increase will go to pay for higher fuel costs, much of it for coal hauled by rail to Missouri power plants from sprawling mines in Wyoming.

PSC Chairman Kevin Gunn said the commission by statute has little discretion to deny Ameren increases in fuel costs if the record shows it made prudent purchasing decisions.
“I could say ‘no’ but they (Ameren) would go across the street and the court would overturn that,” he told the Post-Dispatch.

Another big piece of the rate increase — perhaps a silver lining for consumers — is $89 million that will go for energy efficiency programs.

Ameren is set to kick off the largest energy efficiency program in Missouri’s history in January, an historic initiative that was agreed to by the utility and consumer and environmental groups. The program will provide incentives for consumers to reduce energy use, such as rebates on energy-efficient appliances.

Gunn said the efficiency programs are a way for consumers to shrink their bills even as rates go up.  “We’re giving much more control back to the consumers to control their energy use,” he said. “The goal is for customers to be able to mitigate a large part of this increase.”

Ameren got much of what it sought Wednesday, but not everything.

The commission denied the utility’s request to increase the “customer charge,” or fixed charge, on residential bills to $12 from the current $8 a month. Customers pay the fixed charge no matter how much energy they use to compensate the utility for expenses it incurs regardless of how much energy it sells.

The proposed increase would have cost all customers an extra $4 a month even before they turned on a light switch. And that would send the wrong message at a time when consumers being steered to reduce energy use, the order said.

The PSC also reduced Ameren’s maximum return on equity to 9.8 percent from 10.2 percent — the level authorized in the last rate decision 18 months ago. The adjustment seems insignificant, but it adds up to tens of millions of dollars of annual profit potential for the utility.

Gunn said the rate approved is below the national average and reflects lower interest rates and borrowing costs in a sluggish economy. Still, not all commissioners were satisfied.
PSC member Robert Kenney, of St. Louis, cast the lone dissenting vote Wednesday, arguing that Ameren’s maximum return should have been further reduced because the utility faces less risk when it comes to recovering costs, such as tree trimming and storm recovery.
“The Commission over the last several years has made it easier, faster and less risky for Ameren Missouri to collect money from its customers,” Kenney said. “As a result, consumers will pay more than they should.”

PSC approves $260 million Ameren rate increase : Stltoday



Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotty for any Home Improvement Projects or Energy Reducing Needs and Scotty, Scotts Contracting will respond ASAP. Company Web Address: http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Water Main Repair-Benton Rehab

If your Water Main is leaking it can cost you Thousands of Dollars over the year.

Safety First-when there are open holes in a sidewalk

A leaking water main can cost a building owner thousands in water bills in St Louis and can cause damage to the Rock Foundation Walls and Footings- which will also cause damage to the buildings Structure.  See Previous Posts on the Benton Project where we repaired the Rock Foundation Wall (where some but not all of the damage was from the Leaking Water Main).  Mr Dale Or of Master Plumber StL speculated that the Water Main had been leaking for 8 years prior to the repair. Note: a water leak left un-repaired is a major cause of a Building Settling over time and distorting the Integrity of the Buildings Structure.

Water Man Repair was completed by Master Plumbers St Louis

The above photos are of the Water Main Repair of the Benton Rehab Project.  The Water Main Repair was done by: Master Plumber St Louis {Although I did help dig the pit}

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotty for any Home Improvement Projects or Energy Reducing Needs and Scotty, Scotts Contracting will respond ASAP. Company Web Address: http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Kitchen Framing Tip #36-Benton Rehab Project

 Here is a good tip I learned from the Owner of this Property.  Before Installing the Drywall over the framing members in a Kitchen Wall.

The following photo is a double stack wall to allow the space needed for the efficient bathroom fixtures and also the upstairs apartments kitchen, and bath areas.

With so much at stake to repair a water leak; the small amount of time needed to snap a photo and make a Job Site Sketch is minimal when compared to the alternative: a water leak repair in new construction!

Take a Picture and Make a Drawing of the Wall that the Future Kitchen Cabinets will attach to.  This will eliminate any guess work and possible water leaks from misplaced screws while attaching the Kitchen Cabinets!
-Brought to you by Scotty-Scotts Contracting-

 This Construction Tip was brought to you by Scotty-Scotts Contracting, St Louis  Renewable Energy

Part 1: 

History

Part 

2: Stone Foundation Repair

Part 

3: Tuckpointing the Brick Walls pt 1

Part 

4: Tuckpointing the Brick Walls pt 2

Part 

5: What were they thinking?

Part 

6: Paint Pro Tip #35

Part 7: 

Repairing Water Damage-Exterior Wall

Part 8: 

1st Floor Weatherization

Part 

9: See the Difference a Little White Paint Makes

Part 10:

 Interior Framing-Plumbing-Laundry Room

Part 11: 

Kitchen Framing Tip #36-Benton Rehab Project

Part 12: 

Water Main Repair- Benton Rehab

Part 13: 

Benton Rehab Project Drywall Installation and Tip: Number 1172

Part 14: 

Custom Flooring Patch Hardwood Floor Repair-Benton Rehab

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotty for any Home Improvement Projects or Energy Reducing Needs and Scotty, Scotts Contracting will respond ASAP. Company Web Address: http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Interior Framing-Plumbing-Benton Rehab Green Blog Series

Part 10: Interior Wall Framing, Plumbing, Laundry Room Exhaust Vent and Plumbing-Benton Park Gut Rehab Green Blog Series

 The below CAD drawing was the Basic Plan going into the Rehab Project.

Benton CAD Floor Plan by Scotty,Scotts Contracting

Neither the Building Owner or Myself like to have Return Air Ducts Located on the Floor (where they suck or pull in more Dirt and Debris).  The HVAC Return Air Vents were instead installed 6 ft off the floor.   

Installing New HVAC Ducts in the Wall

This is a very Important Wall.  It not only will support the Kitchen Cabinets.  It contains the Plumbing Stack for the 2nd Floor Kitchen as well as the First Floor Kitchen Area.  This wall was constructed using a double 2x4 wall with the studs running parallel with the wall plates.  This allowed for Plenty of Clearance for the Plumbing on both the First and Second Floor.

Hint: See Next Blog Post about Why this Picture

 is so Important

 The plumbing for this project was done by: Master Plumber St Louis and I highly recamend their Services for your plumbing needs.

Double 2x4 Plumbing Stack Wall

The photo below is the only photo I have of the future Laundry Room.  This was added the day the Master Plumber St Louis showed up at the Job Site.  All though this was a change order (email the Pros at Master Plumber StL) they handled the addition of the Laundry Room for this floor and the 2nd Floor.  Giving the Investment Property Apartments Updated Amenities- Which increases the both the Rental Value and the Investment Property Portfolio.

In the Photo below we have 2nd Floor Laundry Room, 2nd Floor Hot and Cold Pex Water Lines for the Laundry Room,and the 1st and 2nd Floor Dryer Vent Exhaust.  Quarters were a little cramped but everything was able to fit snugly into the allocated space.

Above the 1st Floor Laundry Room Ceiling-

 

Benton Gut Rehab Green Blog Series

Part 1: History

Part 2: Stone Foundation Repair

Part 3: Tuckpointing the Brick Walls pt 1

Part 4: Tuckpointing the Brick Walls pt 2

Part 5: What were they thinking?

Part 6: Paint Pro Tip #35

Part 7: Repairing Water Damage-Exterior Wall

Part 8: 1st Floor Weatherization

Part 9: See the Difference a Little White Paint Makes

Part 10: Interior Framing-Plumbing-Laundry Room

Part 11: Kitchen Framing Tip #36-Benton Rehab Project

Part 12: Water Main Repair- Benton Rehab

Part 13: Benton Rehab Project Drywall Installation and Tip: Number 1172

Part 14: Custom Flooring Patch Hardwood Floor Repair-Benton Rehab

 

Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotty for any Home Improvement Projects or Energy Reducing Needs and Scotty, Scotts Contracting will respond ASAP. Company Web Address: http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com

Today's post of interest: "Practical Green Cleaning Tips"

Hello,

We would like to bring your attention to today's latest Environment Green blog contribution published on EnvironmentGreen.com. We hope you find it an interesting read, hopethat you are having a smashing great day today and thank you for your Green efforts!

Best regards, tmackinnon  

---

Practical Green Cleaning Tips

In today's world we often hear a lot about green cleaning opportunities and how we should be doing this to help protect the environment and that is all well and good. Then we go to the store, we grab the first cleaning product we are used to and simply carry on like nothing happened, potentially polluting the environment with petroleum products which then take forever to break down, carrying down canalization all the way into the ocean. Well this can be easily avoided if we know what we're doing – we have made some tips ready for you so you would have a decent understanding on what you can do to protect those around you from the effects of hazardous chemicals:

The use of green cleaning products

These are especially designed to avoid dangerous chemicals in their composition since companies are becoming more and more aware of the long-term implications of using these in their work. A lot of the cleaning products used todayare biodegradable and nontoxic and on top of that you can even use some household products to clean almost just as well as you can with commercial ones. Try out vinegar, baking soda and for non-toxic chemicals you should also try hydrogen peroxide and borax as alternatives to most cleaners.

Open your windows

This is something a lot of people nowadays have to remember since the central air conditioning systems we are so used to actually use internal air and simply circulate and filter it again and again. You will need to open those windows to let some fresh air in once in a while no matter what you do.

Avoid overuse of antibacterial cleaners

Although they are useful as a short-term solution you should also keep in mind that its also possible to create super-germs by making them adaptive to whatever is killing them. Much like any part of evolution with germs its either adapt or die. Prolonged exposure to the same type of hazard will have them adapt wonderfully so they can return stronger and more dangerous. So be careful with the antibacterial cleaners.

Baking soda

You can use it to scrub away molds and other spots as well with the added bonus of it being nontoxic. You can also use it to absorb unpleasant smells from your fridge, carpet and other surfaces as well as using it in combination with a mild acid to create a bubbly mixture capable of unclogging drains.

Use natural scents

If you want your home to smell nice then avoid the chemicals present in air fresheners and simply go with flowers, or try boiling cloves, cinnamon or other herbs to have the desired effect. Vanilla can also be a useful substitute for those that smells great.

Toxic cleaners should be disposed of

But only by doing it the right way, so make sure they are wrapped in plastic so you'll have no leaks. The reason why you should get rid of those is because they will be absolutely poisonous to a water supply, not to mention how they will settle in nicely at the local landfill. A lot of countries have places where they'll take toxic chemicals away, so ask around.

• Link to the post: http://www.environmentgreen.com/practical-green-cleaning-tips.html
• Link to Environment Green: http://www.environmentgreen.com
• Twitter: @environment_gr
• FaceBook: facebook.com/EnvironmentGreen/

Change Prediction 20years Later-Earth Did Warm

20 years on, climate change projections have come true

By Sunanda Creagh, The Conversation


Climate change predictions made 20 years ago have so far proved accurate, suggesting that the world is indeed on track to a radical climate shift, according to a new paper published today.


In 1990, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) — a group of the world’s top climate scientists — released its First Assessment Report, predicting global warming of about 1.1 degrees celsius between 1990 and 2030.


In today’s edition of Nature Climate Change, climate scientists David Frame and Dáithí A. Stone argue that, halfway through that projection period, the predictions made in 1990 are proving mostly accurate.


The 1990 report’s “best estimate” was that the world would warm by about 1.1 degrees celsius between 1990 and 2030, meaning that the halfway prediction would be about 0.55 degrees celsius by 2010.


In fact, the world has now warmed by about 0.39 degrees celsius, coming very close to the prediction despite several unforeseen historical events, such as the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Mt Pinatubo volcanic eruption and the rise of China.


“As is always the case in science, we cannot know for certain that the 1990 prediction was accurate for the right reasons but, given the apparent absence of any credible alternative theories and the robustness of the prediction, this evaluation strongly supports the contention that the climate is responding to enhanced levels of GHGs (greenhouse gases) in accordance with historical expectations,” the authors wrote.


The paper also said that climate policies enacted between now and 2030 would “will only very gradually manifest themselves in the climate signal.”


Penny Whetton, Senior Principal Research Scientist at the CSIRO and a lead author for the Third Assessment Report of the (IPCC), said the paper confirmed that “projections that climate scientists have been making have been accurate.”


“There are implications for the wider community for how they accept the IPCC conclusions. This is good evidence to show that what the IPCC has been saying for a while is coming true,” she said, adding that the discrepancy between the 0.55 degree projected rise and the 0.39 actual rise was explained by variability in estimates due to natural fluctuations.


“Once you allow for that, this paper demonstrates that the warming we are seeing is consistent with the projections made by the IPCC,” said Dr Whetton.


“What we do in our emissions now could be the difference between a two degree rise and a four degree or five degree rise later in the century.”


Steve Sherwood, Co-Director, Climate Change Research Centre at the University of New South Wales said the paper showed “that if you take natural year-to-year variability into account in any reasonable way, the predictions are as close as one could reasonably expect.”


“Those who have been claiming ad nauseum that the climate models have been proved wrong, should read this paper, even though for most of us it is not very surprising,” said Dr Sherwood, who was not involved in the Nature Climate Change paper.


“Though there is no contrarian analogue to the IPCC, individual contrarians have made predictions over a similar time frame that the warming would stop or reverse. The data since then have probably falsified many of those predictions (which the deniers continue to make today).”


Stuart Corney, a Climate Systems Modeller at the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems CRC at the University of Tasmania, pointed out that social and economic factors make it hard to predict future emissions but that, even so, the 1990 projections had turned out to be very close.


“Twenty years after the 1990 prediction, we see it’s not perfectly accurate — it’s about a 0.4 degree rise instead of a 0.55 degree rise — but it’s still statistically significantly above zero,” he said.


“Climate models can’t predict year to year variations but the long term trends are clear. The take home message is that the climate models we are using now should be accurate in years to come.”


Dr Corney said the trend showed showed the benefit of acting quickly.


“We are locked in now for a certain amount of climate change between now and 2030. No matter what we do now it will have little effect between now and 2030,” he said.


“But what we do now will have a stark effect on what happens in 50 years time or 100 years time.”

       
        This article was originally published at The Conversation.
          Read the original article.
       


Thank you for stopping by St Louis Renewable Energy. Feel free to comment in the section below or contact Scotty for any Home Improvement Projects or Energy Reducing Needs and Scotty, Scotts Contracting will respond ASAP. Company Web Address: http://www.stlouisrenewableenergy.com