CHICAGO — Ameren Illinois residential customers will see an average $3.65 increase on their natural gas bills in January after the Illinois Commerce Commission last week slashed proposed rate hikes for two of the state’s largest utilities.

Ameren, which serves approximately 816,000 customers in central and southern Illinois, initially held off on estimating the impact to customers until it could conduct an in-depth review of the ICC’s order, Brad Kloeppel, Ameren senior director of gas operations and technical services, said after the ruling.

The ICC’s Nov. 19 rulings arrived after an 11-month process of reviewing testimony and documents submitted by Ameren and Nicor, consumer protection groups and environmental advocates. The Commission approved a $73 million rate increase for Amere

See Full Page