Ameren changes billing policy on late payments

When Ameren Missouri customers receive their next bill, they may notice something different: a new due date.

Ameren Missouri, the electric and natural-gas utility that powers much of Missouri, including Cape Girardeau, is doing away with the grace period between a bill's due date and delinquency. Instead, it's extending the due date by 11 days.

"We're giving everyone the same 10 days they had before, plus the grace period, combined into the due date," Tara Oglesby, Ameren Missouri's vice president of customer experience said.

The move is a response to customer feedback -- particularly complaints of payment due dates just 10 days after the bill is sent. Oglesby said Ameren frequently received complaints from people who want to pay their bill on time but don't appreciate having only 10 days to do it.

"What this does is allows them to pay by the due date but to now have 21 days to do that," Oglesby said.

When customers don't pay their bill by the new, extended due date, they automatically will be charged a 1.5 percent penalty.

Particularly affected by this change will be customers who use the company's automatic payment system. The payments are withdrawn on the due date, so those customers will see activity in their accounts 11 days later than they're accustomed.

"This gives customers time to review their bill and plan for that coming out a little longer," Oglesby said.

In July, the utility filed a rate case with the Office of Public Counsel (OPC), seeking a $206 million increase in revenue. The new billing date is included in the rate case, but because the change in billing will not change the amount of the late fee or when it goes into effect, Ameren does not have to wait until the rate case is resolved before making the change.

"While there's nothing under the law requiring Ameren to go through any formal process to change this date, the Office of Public Counsel believes noting this change through a formal process will cut back on potential customer confusion and will allow parties such as our office and the Public Service Commission Staff an opportunity to weigh in with our concerns," James Owen, acting director of the Office of Public Counsel, said. "Ameren was working with these parties to clarify this language and we applaud their willingness to do so."

Oglesby said Ameren received the input of the OPC and found it helpful. Owen said his main concern is customers could find the late fees assessed immediately after the bill's due date confusing and hopes new language will help alleviate that. If it doesn't, it could be addressed in the rate case.

The new billing schedule will begin with bills distributed by Ameren on July 22. The company will relay information to its 1.2 million customers through billing inserts, on energy statements and in online account messages. Many of the messages from Ameren will continue for several months.

bbrown@semissourian.com

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