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Disclaimer: If a conflict between the following answers and the company's filed tariff should arise, the tariff language will prevail.
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AmerenCIPS
What are my options for gas service as an AmerenCIPS non-residential customer?
What are the components of the Purchase Gas Adjustment (PGA)?
What additional charges would I pay as an AmerenCIPS Gas Transport customer?
What are the steps for going on AmerenCIPS Gas Transport?
What pipeline serves my location?
What is the receipt point needed to make a nomination scheduling on the pipeline?
What are the deadlines for nominating gas as an AmerenCIPS customer?
Must a marketer be certified to serve AmerenCIPS customers?
When is the PGA available, and where can I find it?
Does the AmerenCIPS tariff require daily balancing?
What are a gas bank and a gas bank limit?
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AmerenUE
What are my options for gas service as an AmerenUE non-residential customer?
What additional charges would I pay as an AmerenUE Gas Transport customer?
What are the steps for going on AmerenUE Gas Transport?
What are the deadlines for nominating gas as an AmerenUE customer?
Must a marketer be certified to serve AmerenUE customers?
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What are my options for gas service as an AmerenCIPS non-residential customer?
Non-residential gas customers served under delivery service rate schedules 11, 20, and 21 (see rates for a tariff description) have various service options open to them. Customers may purchase their gas supplies from the suppliers of their choice, or they may elect to have AmerenCIPS continue to be the gas supplier. All non-residential customers, even those who choose an alternative gas supplier may also select the level of "back-up" service they would like from AmerenCIPS. Finally, non-residential customers should be aware that their natural gas usage pattern should be considered when selecting service options from AmerenCIPS. For example, customers who use gas on a relatively consistent basis from month to month throughout the year (high load factor) should generally select different service options than customers whose usage varies greatly on a monthly or seasonal basis (low load factor).
The availability of Rate 21 (Interruptible service) is determined solely by AmerenCIPS, and is limited to certain portions of the company's system where insufficient distribution system capacity exists to provide firm service. Once the delivery service rate schedule is determined, a "rider" is coupled with the rate selected to complete the package of services chosen by the customer. Rider S (system supply service) is for customers who wish to purchase their gas supplies strictly from AmerenCIPS. Rider T (transportation service) is for customers who wish to have the option of purchasing their gas supplies from someone other than AmerenCIPS.
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What are the components of the Purchase Gas Adjustment (PGA)?
The total Purchase Gas Adjustment(PGA) rate computed by the company has two components: the demand gas charge (DGC) and the commodity gas charge (CGC). These factors are calculated by summing the dollars projected to be expended by AmerenCIPS within each cost category, and then dividing by the appropriate volumetric units as defined in the PGA formula in Rider B. Customers who elect to purchase their full gas requirements from AmerenCIPS and wish that such supplies be fully backed up with firm gas supply and pipeline capacity resources, pay both the DGC and CGC components on their metered volumes. However, if a customer chooses designated full or designated partial service, they would pay the system average demand charge (SADC). Customers my elect to pay the SADC instead of the DGC for one or both of the following reasons - 1) they are a high load factor customer, i.e., they use gas at relatively the same level year round, or 2) they do not necessarily need 100% of their needs fully backed up with firm gas supply and pipeline capacity resources.
SADC charges are paid on a customer demand basis rather than a metered volume basis. As an example, if a customer buying gas from AmerenCIPS uses 100 therms during his peak usage month and wishes AmerenCIPS to fully back up supplies to this level, he may opt for "designated full" service specifying his 100 therms per day requirement. For billing, this customer would pay the SADC charge times the 100 therms reserved once each month. On the metered volume, he would then pay on the CGC (but not the DGC) on the amount purchased from AmerenCIPS up to the standby amount. If the amount actually used on the peak day exceeds the standby level, the standby level is automatically increased to the amount used.
Customers selecting a level of back-up service above zero %, but less than 100% will pay the demand component costs of such service using the SADC and will opt for the "designated partial" service. The SADC charge will be applied to the back-up level of service as a once-per-month charge. If the actual usage is above the partial back-up level selected, 20% of the DGC rate will be applied to all amounts used in excess of the contracted for back-up level. If the usage in excess of the back-up level occurs during a curtailment period, penalties also apply.
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What additional charges would I pay as an AmerenCIPS Gas Transport customer?
All customers served by Rider T (transportation) are required to have a remotely interrogated electronic meter reading devices installed on their meters. There is a $55.00 per month charge associated with these facilities. In addition, the company must be provided access to the customer's telephone line for approximately 2 minutes, once per day, for data transmission purposes. An administrative charge of $60.00 per month is assessed to each customer served under Rider T (transportation) to cover the additional administrative burden associated with gas transport activities.
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What are the steps for going on AmerenCIPS Gas Transport?
Customer Signs Gas Transport Agreement: The Energy Services Engineer in the customer’s area will prepare an agreement specifying the rate and standby level desired. He will meet with the customer to answer questions and obtain the customer’s signature on the agreement. A list of Energy Services Engineers by service area is listed on the home page under Service Area contacts.
Company Installs Remote-Metering Device: The company will install a remotely interrogated electronic meter reading device on the customer’s meter to monitor daily usage. The company must be provided access to the customer's telephone line for approximately 2 minutes, once per day, for data transmission purposes.
Customer Completes Broker Authorization Form: If the customer has a contract with a marketer to buy gas, that customer must complete a Broker Authorization Form. The form authorizes the marketer to nominate gas on the customer’s behalf and allows the marketer to view the customer’s data on the electronic bulletin board (Unbundled Services Management System or USMS). The form can be obtained by clicking on the link standard forms or by contacting Dottie Anderson at 217.535.5626 or Mike Garrett at 217.535.5096.
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What pipeline serves my location?
In general, Panhandle serves the western and eastern parts of the state. Trunkline and Texas Eastern serve the southern part. The exceptions are Robinson, which is served by Texas Gas, Effingham and Hoopeston, which are served by Trunkline only and the line from Mattoon to Paris, which is served by Natural Gas Pipeline (NGPL) and Panhandle.
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What is the receipt point needed to make a nomination on the pipeline?
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Pipeline
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Receipt Point
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Panhandle
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CIPS
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Trunkline
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CIPS
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Texas Eastern
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70042
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Texas Gas
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1349
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NGPL
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25500
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What are the deadlines for nominating gas as an AmerenCIPS customer?
Nominations are due 1 business day before the day of gas flow at 11:30 a.m. A nomination calendar showing AmerenCIPS holidays can be obtained by clicking on the link nomination calendar or by contacting Dottie Anderson at 217.535.5626 or Mike Garrett at 217.535.5096.
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Must a marketer be certified to serve AmerenCIPS customers?
No. Certification is not necessary to serve customers behind AmerenCIPS. The customer just needs to submit a Broker Authorization Form authorizing the marketer to nominate on their behalf. The form can be obtained by clicking on the link standard forms or by contacting Dottie Anderson at 217.535.5626 or Mike Garrett at 217.535.5096.
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When is the PGA available, and where can I find it?
The company recalculates its PGA each month and files it with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) along with all supporting information around the 20th of the preceding month. The PGA provides for a "true-up" process whereby gas cost expenditures and recoveries are reconciled. Annually, the ICC examines the company's gas procurement activities in detail through formal hearings. The current and historical PGA can be found by clicking on rates.
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Does the AmerenCIPS tariff require daily balancing?
Yes, the AmerenCIPS tariff does require daily balancing. If the daily usage is greater than the transported volumes and the banked gas is zero, the customer will automatically buy system gas. If daily transported volumes are less than 80% of usage, the customer will buy system gas at market price plus 10%. If the customer is on a designated partial rate and buys system gas above their contracted level, they will be charged an additional 20% of the monthly Demand Gas Charge (DGC). The charge will appear on the customer’s billing as an Excess Gas Charge (EGC).
If the daily usage is less than the transported volumes, the excess amount will be added to the banked gas. The banked gas is balanced daily. If the usage is greater than transported volumes, only 20% of usage can come from the bank.
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What are a gas bank and a gas bank limit?
Customers on Rider T (transportation) are allowed to accumulate a gas bank when they transport more gas than used. However, there is a limit to how much can be in the gas bank on a daily basis. The bank limit is 10 times the highest average daily usage in the previous 12 billing periods. If a customer exceeds their bank limit on any day of the month, that customer is charged a penalty of $.002 per them for all therms over the limit.
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What are my options for gas service as an AmerenUE non-residential customer?
Non-residential gas customers may purchase their gas supplies from the supplier of their choice, or they may elect to have AmerenUE continue to be the gas supplier. If a customer chooses to purchase gas supplies from an outside supplier, that customer must sign an agreement either for Standard Gas Transportation Service if the annual consumption is less than 600,000 hundred cubic feet or Large Volume Gas Transportation Service if the annual consumption is 600,000 hundred cubic feet or greater.
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What additional charges would I pay as an AmerenUE gas transport customer?
All customers on gas transport are required to have remotely interrogated electronic meter reading devices installed on their meters. There is a $21.00 per meter per month charge associated with these facilities. An administrative charge of $40.00 per month is assessed to cover the additional administrative burden associated with gas transport activities. There is also a .03 cents per hundred cubic feet transportation charge.
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What are the steps for going on AmerenUE Gas Transport?
Customer Signs Gas Transport Agreement: The Customer Service Advisor in the customer’s area will deliver the Gas Transport Agreement to the customer, answer any questions and obtain the customer’s signature on the agreement. A list of Customer Service Advisors by area is listed on the home page under Service Area contacts.
Company Installs Remote-Metering Device: The Company will install a remote-metering device on the customer’s meter to monitor daily usage. The customer is required to provide and maintain a phone line for the remote-metering device.
Customer Completes Broker Authorization Form: If the customer has a contract with a marketer to buy gas, they need to complete a Broker Authorization Form. The form authorizes the marketer to nominate gas on the customer’s behalf and allows the marketer to view the customer’s data on the electronic bulletin board (Unbundled Services Management System or USMS). The form can be obtained by clicking on the link standard forms or by contacting Dottie Anderson at 217.535.5626 or Mike Garrett at 217.535.5096.
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What are the deadlines for nominating gas as an AmerenUE customer?
Nominations are due 1 business day before the day of gas flow at 11:30 a.m. A nomination calendar showing Ameren holidays can be obtained by clicking on the link nomination calendar or by contacting Dottie Anderson at 217.535.5626 or Mike Garrett at 217.535.5096.
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Must a marketer be certified to serve AmerenUE customers?
No. Certification is not necessary to serve customers behind AmerenUE. All we need is a Broker Authorization Form from the customer authorizing the marketer to nominate on their behalf. The form can be obtained by clicking on the link standard forms or by contacting Dottie Anderson at 217.535.5626 or Mike Garrett at 217.535.5096.
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