A group of advocates protested outside Ameren’s headquarters on Wednesday morning, calling on the company’s CEO to do more to help tornado victims who cannot afford electricity.
Ameren is once again disconnecting customers who are behind on their electricity bills in the areas affected by the May 16 tornado, according to the advocates who said they met with representatives from Ameren on Tuesday.
The company had temporarily paused those disconnections in the wake of the storm.
“Our neighbors who survived the May 16 tornado are very much still living in crisis, and Ameren is not doing enough to protect them and protect their needs,” said St. Louis Board of Aldermen President Megan Green.
In July, representatives from more than 30 organizations sent a letter to Ameren CEO Marty Lyons, asking him to pause disconnections through the end of the year and forgive utility debt for customers within a half-mile of the tornado’s path. The organizations included the Sierra Club of Missouri, the Consumers Council of Missouri, Tenants Transforming Greater St. Louis and the Missouri Coalition for the Environment.
The company started disconnecting residents again on Aug. 5, according to the advocates. An Ameren representative confirmed that disconnections are again taking place.
“There's no reason why anybody should be worrying about being disconnected right now,” said Kristian Blackman, executive director of Tenants Transforming Greater St. Louis. “We've seen record-breaking heat. We're going to continue to see that with climate change. We've seen multiple heat waves. Another one is on the way, so there is no reason that people should be without power.”
Ameren officials are deeply aware of the challenges their customers are facing, said Connie Taylor, Ameren director of community engagement and impact.
“We knew that the financial need would be prevalent due to the tornado,” said Taylor. “Drawing on my experience, decades of experience, I’ve seen firsthand that combining direct financial assistance along with flexible payment options really provides the most impactful and direct way to help customers in need.”
On Wednesday, Taylor would not say if Ameren planned to accept the call for a disconnection moratorium and debt forgiveness, instead saying the company’s focus is on existing assistance programs.
But at a July nuclear summit, Ameren President and Chairman Mark Birk said the company looked at the call from the advocates and decided they already provide a lot of support to customers in low-income areas, including donating $1 million to tornado relief.
“Not only have we donated the $1 million, but we provide ongoing support throughout the year, and we believe that customers should rely and use that first, before we extend moratoriums or do anything like that,” Birk said. “We're not looking at doing that. We're looking at providing all the support we can today.”
Taylor said there are multiple assistance programs available for customers who are unable to afford their electric bills, including extra financial assistance for people affected by the tornado.
“We really encourage our customers who may be facing a financial need as it relates to their bill to please reach out, whether they call us directly or call one of our agency partners, the earlier that can take place the better, the more opportunity there is to address the situation before a disconnection would take place.”
Ameren customers can contact the company directly at 800-552-7583 or call 211 to reach community organizations that are helping administer storm-related utility assistance.
Community organizations have criticized Ameren's assistance programs, saying they are too difficult for customers to access.
“If you look at their website, you're almost overwhelmed by the number of programs they have,” Sandra Padgett, executive director of the Consumers Council, said last month. “But the stories that we hear from people who are trying to apply are very different.”
Taylor would not say how many customers are behind on their bills in the neighborhoods affected by the tornado, saying the company does not share specific customer information. In June, the most recent month for which data is available, more than 160,000 Ameren customers were behind on their electricity bills, according to data obtained by the Energy and Policy Institute. The average arrear amount was $130, totaling $21.3 million in electricity debt.
Ameren’s electricity rates have recently increased after the company won approval for the hike from Missouri’s Public Service Commission.
