Q: What is the difference between the standard rate and Power Smart Pricing?
Q: Will Power Smart Pricing affect the rate relief credit on my bill?
Q: What is the difference between Power Smart Pricing and the Ameren Illinois Utilities’ Real-Time Pricing option?
Q: How is Power Smart Pricing different from the Ameren On/Off Peak rate?
Q: How is Power Smart Pricing different from budget billing?
Q: Can I be on both budget billing and be on Power Smart Pricing?

What is the difference between the standard rate and Power Smart Pricing?

Regardless of your electric supply choice (Power Smart Pricing, or Utility Basic Generation Service), all customers are required to pay Delivery Service charges. These charges are for your utility to maintain the poles, wires, and services required to deliver electricity to your home, and are shown separately on your electric bill. The main difference between Power Smart Pricing and your utility’s standard residential rate, (Utility Basic Generation Service, or BGS) is how the cost of electricity supply is calculated.

Utility Basic Generation Service
With the standard residential rate (Utility Basic Generation Service, or BGS), you pay a set price for your electricity supply. This price varies by season, and is adjusted periodically, but it does not change from hour to hour or from day to day. You pay the same price for electricity no matter what time of day or day you use it. For the current electric supply prices for Ameren Illinois, go to www.ameren.com, or see the  About Hourly Prices section of this site.

Power Smart Pricing
With Power Smart Pricing, the price of the electricity varies from hour to hour based on wholesale market prices. So the price you pay for electricity depends on the time of day when you use it. Your total cost for the electricity used is calculated using the hourly market prices and your corresponding hourly usage. The Ameren Illinois Utilities do not mark up the price of power; you simply pay the market price. The program uses “day-ahead” prices, meaning the hourly prices for each day are set the evening in advance. Each evening, price information for the following day is available online and by phone.

Will Power Smart Pricing affect the rate relief credit on my bill?

No. Participating in Power Smart Pricing does not change the amount of the Illinois General Assembly rate relief rebates that program participants are eligible to receive.

What is the difference between Power Smart Pricing and the Ameren Illinois Utilities’ Real-Time Pricing option?

Both Power Smart Pricing and Real-Time Pricing (RTP) allow customers to pay hourly, market-based electricity prices. The market based rates are the same for both options, and customers on both plans are still required to pay delivery service charges and other supplemental charges, and taxes. The main differences between the two options are that Power Smart Pricing participants receive additional customer support, and pay a lower monthly participation fee.

• Power Smart Pricing provides resources that are not available to RTP customers. This includes high price alerts, savings updates, newsletters, workshops, and online tools that allow participants analyze their electricity usage and compare their costs with what they would have paid on the standard rate.
• The monthly participation fee for Power Smart Pricing is $2.25, while the fee for RTP is $5 per month.
• Power Smart Pricing participants are required to stay in the program for 12 months. RTP customers may leave the program at any time, but must pay the monthly fee of $5 for each month remaining in the 12-month contract.

How is Power Smart Pricing different from the Ameren On/Off Peak rate?

In the past, Ameren Illinois had a rate that established two blocks of hours, one block when the electricity price was one low (off peak) price and the other block when the electricity price was a higher (on peak) price. This rate is no longer available. The days and times of the on peak and off peak blocks were on a fixed schedule that did not change from day to day. With Power Smart Pricing, the price of electricity varies hourly based on the market price. However, prices generally follow predictable patterns. See “About Hourly Prices” for more on price patterns.

How is Power Smart Pricing different from budget billing?

Budget billing doesn’t change your total electricity costs or the price you pay for electricity. It is designed to make your bills more predictable by helping to spread out your electricity costs evenly throughout the year. Power Smart Pricing changes the actual price you pay for electricity. Participants pay market-based electricity prices that change from hour to hour and day to day. This means you could benefit from low market prices during most hours of the day and most times of the year. You can manage your electricity costs by using energy wisely during hours when prices are higher.

Can I be on both budget billing and be on Power Smart Pricing?

Yes, it is possible to be on both budget billing and Power Smart Pricing. If you are on both budget billing and Power Smart Pricing, you will see your actual electricity costs on your monthly bill, but your monthly payment amount will remain constant. Any savings you achieve with Power Smart Pricing will be reflected in your balance at the end of your 12-month budget billing cycle.