JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Electricity customers of AmerenUE will have their bills drop by a total of $30 million starting today under an agreement negotiated in 2002 by the Public Service Commission.

The commission also approved rate decreases this week for natural gas customers in seven northeast Missouri counties, and rate increases for gas customers in the town of Sullivan.

The cost of 1,000 kilowatt hours per month from AmerenUE will drop by about 98 cents a month, or $11.80 per year. That comes on top of rate reductions from AmerenUE in 2002 and 2003 that will mean a cumulative drop of $3.87 per month, or $46.44 per year.

In 2001, the Public Service Commission accused AmerenUE of having rates that were unfairly high. The July 2002 agreement committed AmerenUE to lower rates for its 1.1 million Missouri customers over a three-year period, make more investments in its infrastructure and offer help to low-income customers.

Under the agreement, AmerenUE will give about $17 million over four years to customer assistance programs and $5 million more for economic development. The agreement also calls for AmerenUE to make at least $2.25 billion in energy infrastructure investments by June 30, 2006.

On Wednesday, the commission said it approved increases in the cost of natural gas for customers of Atmos Energy in Clark, Knox, Lewis, Marion, Pike, Ralls and Scotland counties.

For the 15,000 customers in the Bowling Green, Hannibal/Canton and Palmyra districts, the rate will drop by 8.3 cents per 100 cubic feet of gas. That will mean a decrease during the summer of about $26 compared to rates currently in effect.

The commission on Tuesday said it approved an increase in natural gas rates for the summer for the 1,230 Sullivan customers of Fidelity Natural Gas Inc. Rates will rise by about 6.4 cents per 100 cubic feet of gas, meaning an increase of about $20 when compared with rates currently in effect.