Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) sent a letter to Ameren Corporation President and CEO Martin Lyons calling out Ameren for reportedly pursuing expensive corporate projects while thousands of Missourians experience rate hikes and power shut-offs.
Senator Hawley wrote, “Families across Missouri are struggling to pay their bills. But I am concerned Ameren is seeking dramatic rate increases in order to supply massive data centers and industrial users. Recent reporting indicates that Ameren cut electricity to thousands of Missouri households in September while simultaneously pursuing lucrative arrangements with corporate users.”
He continued, “Missourians deserve affordable and reliable electricity. They should not be forced to subsidize corporate projects while struggling to keep their lights on.”
Hawley requested communications regarding Ameren’s rate increases, power disconnections, data-center expansion, as well as cost allocation and prioritization.
Read the full letter here or below.
Mr. Martin J. Lyons
President and Chief Executive Officer
Ameren Corporation
1901 Chouteau Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63103
Dear Mr. Lyons,
Families across Missouri are struggling to pay their bills. But I am concerned Ameren is seeking dramatic rate increases in order to supply massive data centers and industrial users. Recent reporting indicates that Ameren cut electricity to thousands of Missouri households in September while simultaneously pursuing lucrative arrangements with corporate users.
I am writing to ask for answers:
- Rate Increases. Ameren’s current request before the Missouri Public Service Commission would raise electric bills for residential customers by roughly fifteen percent—a staggering increase for families already squeezed by inflation. Please explain in detail the justification for this increase, including how Ameren has calculated its projected revenue requirement and profit margin. Is any of this requested increase due to the considerable power demands from new data centers?
- Disconnections. According to public filings, Ameren disconnected power to tens of thousands of households this year for nonpayment. How does Ameren evaluate the impact of these shutoffs on vulnerable customers, and what steps, if any, has the company taken to prevent disconnections in extreme weather conditions?
- Data-Center Expansion. Ameren’s recent agreements to provide hundreds of megawatts of power to new data centers raise serious concerns about cross-subsidization. Has Ameren analyzed how these industrial contracts will affect residential prices? If so, please produce that analysis.
- Cost Allocation and Prioritization. What measures has Ameren adopted to ensure that the cost of new infrastructure for large industrial users will not be passed on to residential ratepayers? Has Ameren considered prioritizing rate stability for households before approving discounted contracts for data-center clients?
Missourians deserve affordable and reliable electricity. They should not be forced to subsidize corporate projects while struggling to keep their lights on. I look forward to your responses by October 29, 2025. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
Josh Hawley
United States Senator