Where there's a Will, there's a way

Nothing makes me happier to be a CWLP customer than reading the news about Ameren. I was once required to use Ameren for my natural gas and they were always a nightmare to deal with. I wasn't the least bit surprised when I read accusations that they aren't doing their part to maintain the grid. It was obvious from my experience that they cut corners on customer service. A company with a short-sighted view about its customers is likely to have the same short-sighted view about other issues such as maintaining the grid. I couldn't be happier with all the negative publicity and political problems they're having now. They deserve it.

I was also unsurprised when Lisa Madigan decided to investigate alleged price fixing by Ameren, which sounds eerily similar to Enron's role in manufacturing the California energy crisis that lead to artificially inflated prices.

When I was in Chicago last weekend I heard a feel-good radio commercial from ComEd about rate hikes. Obviously, they're nervous. It made me wonder if Ameren is going to make a similar PR effort in downstate.

At first I was shocked at the SJ-R story that Ameren is sending out notices about summer rate hikes. It sounds like a pretty stupid message to send to their customers while the legislature is still in session and considering reinstating the rate freeze. Why would they remind people that rates are going up?

Unless, of course, they're low-balling their estimates to make the rate increases appear to be small. Looking at the low numbers in the article, I have to wonder if that's what they're doing. I know that sounds suspicious and cynical but I've never been proven wrong when questioning Ameren's ethics.

Community Energy Systems is one local group working on this and related issues. Head over to their website and sign the petition opposing the rate increase.

Since Simpsons fever has hit Springfield, here's a clip from a very early episode where Lisa sings a Woody Guthrie style protest song at the Springfield power plant.