PEORIA, Ill., June 18 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Ameren Illinois Utilities (AmerenCIPS, AmerenCILCO, AmerenIP) program is helping residential electric customers who are dealing with unemployment. "We understand today's economic challenges are affecting the people, businesses and industries we serve as they are affecting our own organization. This new program is intended to help customers who have lost jobs due to layoffs," said Stan Ogden, Ameren Illinois Utilities (AIU) vice president of Customer Service and Public Relations. The AIU Residential Unemployment Program may provide one-time grants of up to $300 for residential electric customers who have experienced layoffs since December 2008 and remain unemployed. In order to qualify, a residential electric customer must provide documentation of unemployment, such as confirmation of an unemployment insurance claim. There is a limit of one grant per household. Residential Unemployment Program grants will be processed and issued until the funds for this program have been depleted. A total of $2.2 million is available for grants. The funds are part of the Illinois rate relief package adopted by the Illinois General Assembly and signed into law in 2007. Customers may obtain application forms by calling the Ameren Illinois Utilities (AmerenCIPS - 1-888-789-2477; AmerenCILCO - 1-888-672-5252; AmerenIP - 1-800-755-5000). Also, the AIU Act On Energy (ActOnEnergy.com) initiative has become a primary source of energy savings information, as well as significant financial incentives for residential and business customers. Individuals and businesses alike are learning and applying the principles of energy efficiency and conservation. Through Act On Energy, the Ameren Illinois Utilities are helping customers spend less on energy by using less without sacrificing personal comfort. The Ameren Illinois Utilities (AmerenCIPS, AmerenCILCO, AmerenIP) have been providing safe, reliable energy delivery service for more than a century. The Ameren Illinois Utilities deliver energy to 1.2 million electric and 840,000 natural gas customers in more than 1,200 communities within a 43,700-square-mile service territory. DATASOURCE: Ameren Illinois Utilities CONTACT: Neal Johnson, +1-309-677-5284, or Victoria Busch, +1-618-346-1286, both of Ameren Illinois Utilities Web Site: http://www.ameren.com/ http://www.actonenergy.com/

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