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AmerenUE
launches $3 Million 'Clean Slate' Program
for Low-Income Elderly/Disabled Customers
ST. LOUIS, June 30 /PRNewswire/ -- AmerenUE today announced it is
giving $3 million to needy
customers to help them get a fresh start in
managing their utility payments.
Called "Clean Slate," the program will help
qualified customers pay off their past-due
utility bills.
The $3 million from AmerenUE
will first be earmarked to help low-income
elderly and low-income disabled UE customers
who have fallen behind on their bills.
Any remaining funds will be directed to
assist other low-income customers.
This effort is fully funded by UE; customers
will not be charged for the program.
"Our goal is to reach customers who
literally have to choose each month between
paying for utilities and paying for food,
medicine or other essential services," said
Warner Baxter, AmerenUE president
and chief executive officer.
"It is part of our ongoing efforts to
listen, respond and deliver to our customers
-- especially our most vulnerable customers,
who are experiencing significant challenges
during these difficult economic times."
"With past Clean Slate programs, we have
helped nearly 8,000 customers take steps to
regain financial stability. We all know
times are especially challenging right now,
and this is another way we are helping our
customers," added Richard Mark,
AmerenUE Senior Vice President, Energy
Delivery.
Customers must apply at a participating
Clean Slate agency, which may define age
limits and eligibility using poverty
guidelines and other circumstances.
Participating agencies can be found on
Ameren's Web site,
www.ameren.com/cleanslate , or by
calling the United Way Information and
Referral number, 1-800-427-4626.
In addition, Ameren's automated voice
response program offers information to
customers who call into the Customer Contact
Centers. Customers can dial 314-342-1111, or
toll-free 1-800-552-7583, and choose menu
option number "4." Then enter "2" and the
ZIP Code when prompted.
With the program announced today, each
qualified potential participant who is an
active UE customer is being asked to pay 10
percent of the delinquent amount on his or
her bill to qualify for a Clean Slate pledge
that will cover the rest of the outstanding
balance.
Inactive qualified customers -- those who
have been disconnected for nonpayment --
will be required to pay 20 percent of their
arrearages.
Once the qualified customer has paid that
portion, Clean Slate will pay the entire
balance on a UE customer's account.
Through Clean Slate, eligible customers also
can sign up for UE's Budget Billing program,
which allows them to pay a regular monthly
amount -- avoiding the peaks that come with
either summer air conditioning or winter
heating.
Other available assistance includes:
Dollar More, the state's largest privately funded energy
assistance program.
Meet the Heat, UE's effort to reach out to low-income and elderly
customers and provide them with information
about how to stay safe in summer heat.
Be Cool, UE's annual ENERGY STAR(R)-qualified air conditioner
giveaway program. Late last week, UE
distributed 400 energy efficient window-unit
air conditioners to social service agencies
across the state and the metropolitan
St. Louis area.
Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
LIHEAP funds are administered by state
agencies to help eligible low-income
households, elderly persons and people with
disabilities pay for energy services.
The Low Income Weatherization Program. UE
provides funding for 13 Community Action
Agencies and the Urban League to help
eligible customers weatherize their homes.
Third-Party Notification. UE will attempt to contact a designated third-party
of a registered elderly person or a customer
with disabilities before disconnecting
service for nonpayment of utility bills. The
designated third-party will receive copies
of all bills and disconnect notifications.
Information about all of these programs can
be found at
www.ameren.com
With residential electric retail rates that
are approximately 40 percent below the
national average, AmerenUE provides
electricity and natural gas to 1.2 million
customers in Missouri
With assets of approximately $23
billionn, Ameren Corporation (www.ameren.com)
serves 2.4 million electric customers and
one million natural gas customers in a
64,000-square-mile area of
Missouri and Illinois.
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