JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- AmerenUE is raising a charge on the monthly bills of its electric customers in Missouri.

The Missouri Public Service Commission on Thursday approved the utility's request to increase the fuel and purchased-power adjustment charge on customers' bills.

The commission estimates the average residential customer will pay $2.37 more per month starting Sept. 23.

St. Louis-based AmerenUE is the state's largest electric utility, with about 1.2 million customers mainly in eastern and central Missouri.

AmerenUE requested that the charge be increased because of lower power prices and declining revenue from sales of electricity to wholesalers amid the economic downturn.