Ameren Illinois Co - Annual Report: 2008 (Form 10-K)

AERG – AmerenEnergy Resources Generating Company, a CILCO subsidiary that operates a non-rate-regulated electric generation business in Illinois.

AFS – Ameren Energy Fuels and Services Company, a Resources Company subsidiary that procures fuel and natural gas and manages the related risks for the Ameren Companies.

AITC – Ameren Illinois Transmission Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ameren Corporation that is engaged in the construction and operation of transmission assets in Illinois and is regulated by the ICC.

Ameren – Ameren Corporation and its subsidiaries on a consolidated basis. In references to financing activities, acquisition activities, or liquidity arrangements, Ameren is defined as Ameren Corporation, the parent.

Ameren Companies – The individual registrants within the Ameren consolidated group.

Ameren Illinois Utilities – CIPS, IP and the rate-regulated electric and gas utility operations of CILCO.

Ameren Services – Ameren Services Company, an Ameren Corporation subsidiary that provides support services to Ameren and its subsidiaries.

AMIL – The balancing authority area operated by Ameren, which includes the load of the Ameren Illinois Utilities and the generating assets of AERG and Genco.

AMMO – The balancing authority area operated by Ameren, which includes the load and generating assets of UE.

AMT – Alternative minimum tax.

ARB – Accounting Research Bulletin.

ARO – Asset retirement obligations.

Baseload – The minimum amount of electric power delivered or required over a given period of time at a steady rate.

Btu – British thermal unit, a standard unit for measuring the quantity of heat energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water by one degree Fahrenheit.

Capacity factor – A percentage measure that indicates how much of an electric power generating unit’s capacity was used during a specific period.

CILCO – Central Illinois Light Company, a CILCORP subsidiary that operates a rate-regulated electric transmission and distribution business, a non-rate-regulated electric generation business through AERG, and a rate-regulated natural gas transmission and distribution business, all in Illinois, as AmerenCILCO. CILCO owns all of the common stock of AERG.

CILCORP – CILCORP Inc., an Ameren Corporation subsidiary that operates as a holding company for CILCO and a non-rate-regulated subsidiary.

CIPS – Central Illinois Public Service Company, an Ameren Corporation subsidiary that operates a rate-regulated electric and natural gas transmission and distribution business in Illinois as AmerenCIPS.

CIPSCO – CIPSCO Inc., the former parent of CIPS.

CO₂ – Carbon dioxide.

COLA – Combined construction and operating license application.

Cooling degree-days – The summation of positive differences between the mean daily temperature and a 65-degree Fahrenheit base. This statistic is useful for estimating electricity demand by residential and commercial customers for summer cooling.

CT – Combustion turbine electric generation equipment used primarily for peaking capacity.

Development Company – Ameren Energy Development Company, which was an Ameren Energy Resources Company subsidiary and parent of Genco, Marketing Company, AFS, and Medina Valley. It was eliminated in an internal reorganization in February 2008.

DOE – Department of Energy, a U.S. government agency.

DRPlus – Ameren Corporation’s dividend reinvestment and direct stock purchase plan.

Dth (dekatherm) – one million Btus of natural gas.

EEI – Electric Energy, Inc., an 80%-owned Ameren Corporation subsidiary that operates non-rate-regulated electric generation facilities and FERC-regulated transmission facilities in Illinois. Prior to February 29, 2008, EEI was 40% owned by UE and 40% owned by Development Company. On February 29, 2008, UE’s 40% ownership interest and Development Company’s 40% ownership interest were transferred to Resources Company. The remaining 20% is owned by Kentucky Utilities Company.

EITF – Emerging Issues Task Force, an organization designed to assist the FASB in improving financial reporting through the identification, discussion and resolution of financial issues in keeping with existing authoritative literature.

ELPC – Environmental Law and Policy Center.

EPA – Environmental Protection Agency, a U.S. government agency.

Equivalent availability factor – A measure that indicates the percentage of time an electric power generating unit was available for service during a period.

ERISA – Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended.

Exchange Act – Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

FAC – A fuel and purchased power cost recovery mechanism that allows UE to recover through customer rates 95% of changes in fuel (coal, coal transportation, natural gas for generation and nuclear) and purchased power costs, net of off-system revenues, including MISO costs and revenues, above or below the amount set in base rates.

FASB – Financial Accounting Standards Board, a rulemaking organization that establishes financial accounting and reporting standards in the United States.

FERC – The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, a U.S. government agency.

FIN – FASB Interpretation. A FIN statement is an explanation intended to clarify accounting pronouncements previously issued by the FASB.

Fitch – Fitch Ratings, a credit rating agency.

FSP – FASB Staff Position, a publication that provides application guidance on FASB literature.

FTRs – Financial transmission rights, financial instruments that entitle the holder to pay or receive compensation for certain congestion-related transmission charges between two designated points.

Fuelco – Fuelco LLC, a limited-liability company that provides nuclear fuel management and services to its members. The members are UE, Luminant, and Pacific Gas and Electric Company.

GAAP – Generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America.

Genco – Ameren Energy Generating Company, a Resources Company subsidiary that operates a non-rate-regulated electric generation business in Illinois and Missouri.

Gigawatthour – One thousand megawatthours.

Heating degree-days – The summation of negative differences between the mean daily temperature and a 65- degree Fahrenheit base. This statistic is useful as an indicator of demand for electricity and natural gas for winter space heating for residential and commercial customers.

IBEW – International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, a labor union.

ICC – Illinois Commerce Commission, a state agency that regulates Illinois utility businesses, including the rate-regulated operations of CIPS, CILCO and IP.

Illinois Customer Choice Law – Illinois Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997, which provided for electric utility restructuring and was designed to introduce competition into the retail supply of electric energy in Illinois.

Illinois electric settlement agreement – A comprehensive settlement of issues in Illinois arising out of the end of ten years of frozen electric rates, effective January 2, 2007. The Illinois electric settlement agreement, which became effective on August 28, 2007, was designed to avoid new rate rollback and freeze legislation and legislation that would impose a tax on electric generation in Illinois. The settlement addresses the issue of power procurement, and it includes a comprehensive rate relief and customer assistance program.

Illinois EPA – Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, a state government agency.

Illinois Regulated – A financial reporting segment consisting of the regulated electric and natural gas transmission and distribution businesses of CIPS, CILCO, IP and AITC.

IP – Illinois Power Company, an Ameren Corporation subsidiary. IP operates a rate-regulated electric and natural gas transmission and distribution business in Illinois as AmerenIP.

IP LLC – Illinois Power Securitization Limited Liability Company, which was a special-purpose Delaware limited-liability company. It was dissolved in February 2009 because the remaining TFNs, with respect to which this entity was created, were redeemed by IP in September 2008.

IP SPT – Illinois Power Special Purpose Trust, which was created as a subsidiary of IP LLC to issue TFNs as allowed under the Illinois Customer Choice Law. It was dissolved in February 2009 because the remaining TFNs were redeemed by IP in September 2008.

IPA – Illinois Power Agency, a state government agency that has broad authority to assist in the procurement of electric power for residential and nonresidential customers beginning in June 2009.

ISRS – Infrastructure system replacement surcharge. A cost recovery mechanism in Missouri that allows UE to recover gas infrastructure replacement costs from utility customers without a traditional rate case.

IUOE – International Union of Operating Engineers, a labor union.

JDA – The joint dispatch agreement among UE, CIPS, and Genco under which UE and Genco jointly dispatched electric generation prior to its termination on December 31, 2006.

Kilowatthour – A measure of electricity consumption equivalent to the use of 1,000 watts of power over a period of one hour.

Lehman – Lehman Brothers Holdings, Inc.

MACT – Maximum Achievable Control Technology.

Marketing Company – Ameren Energy Marketing Company, a Resources Company subsidiary that markets power for Genco, AERG and EEI.

Medina Valley – AmerenEnergy Medina Valley Cogen L.L.C., a Resources Company subsidiary, which owns a 40-megawatt gas-fired electric generation plant.

Megawatthour – One thousand kilowatthours.

MGP – Manufactured gas plant.

MISO – Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.

MISO Day Two Energy Market – A market that uses market-based pricing, incorporating transmission congestion and line losses, to compensate market participants for power.

Missouri Environmental Authority – Environmental Improvement and Energy Resources Authority of the state of Missouri, a governmental body authorized to finance environmental projects by issuing tax-exempt bonds and notes.

Missouri Regulated – A financial reporting segment consisting of UE’s rate-regulated businesses.

Money pool – Borrowing agreements among Ameren and its subsidiaries to coordinate and provide for certain short-term cash and working capital requirements. Separate money pools maintained for rate-regulated and non-rate-regulated business are referred to as the utility money pool and the non-state-regulated subsidiary money pool, respectively.

Moody’s – Moody’s Investors Service Inc., a credit rating agency.

MoPSC – Missouri Public Service Commission, a state agency that regulates Missouri utility businesses, including the rate-regulated operations of UE.

MPS – Multi-Pollutant Standard, an agreement reached in 2006 among Genco, CILCO (AERG), EEI and the Illinois EPA, which was codified in Illinois environmental regulations.

MW – Megawatt.

Native load – Wholesale customers and end-use retail customers, whom we are obligated to serve by statute, franchise, contract, or other regulatory requirement.

NCF&O – National Congress of Firemen and Oilers, a labor union.

Non-rate-regulated Generation – A financial reporting segment consisting of the operations or activities of Genco, the CILCORP parent company, AERG, EEI, Medina Valley, and Marketing Company.

NO_x – Nitrogen oxide.

Noranda – Noranda Aluminum, Inc.

NRC – Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a U.S. government agency.

NYMEX – New York Mercantile Exchange.

NYSE – New York Stock Exchange, Inc.

OATT – Open Access Transmission Tariff.

OCI – Other comprehensive income (loss) as defined by GAAP.

Off-system revenues – Revenues from other than native load sales.

OTC – Over-the-counter.

PGA – Purchased Gas Adjustment tariffs, which allow the passing through of the actual cost of natural gas to utility customers.

PJM – PJM Interconnection LLC.

PUHCA 2005 – The Public Utility Holding Company Act of 2005, enacted as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, effective February 8, 2006.

Regulatory lag – Adjustments to retail electric and natural gas rates are based on historic cost levels. Rate increase requests can take up to 11 months to be acted upon by the MoPSC and the ICC. As a result, revenue increases authorized by regulators will lag behind changing costs.

Resources Company – Ameren Energy Resources Company, LLC, an Ameren Corporation subsidiary that consists of non-rate-regulated operations, including Genco, Marketing Company, EEI, AFS, and Medina Valley. It is the successor to Ameren Energy Resources Company, which was eliminated in an internal reorganization in February 2008.

RFP – Request for proposal.

RTO – Regional Transmission Organization.

S&P – Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a credit rating agency that is a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

SEC – Securities and Exchange Commission, a U.S. government agency.

SERC – SERC Reliability Corporation, one of the regional electric reliability councils organized for coordinating the planning and operation of the nation’s bulk power supply.

SFAS – Statement of Financial Accounting Standards, the accounting and financial reporting rules issued by the FASB.

SO₂ – Sulfur dioxide.

TFN – Transitional Funding Trust Notes issued by IP SPT as allowed under the Illinois Customer Choice Law. IP designated a portion of cash received from customer billings to pay the TFNs. The designated funds received by

IP were remitted to IP SPT. The designated funds were restricted for the sole purpose of making payments of principal and interest on, and paying other fees and expenses related to, the TFNs. Since the application of FIN 46R, IP did not consolidate IP SPT. Therefore, the obligation to IP SPT appears on IP’s balance sheet as of December 31, 2007. In September 2008, IP redeemed the remaining TFNs.

TVA – Tennessee Valley Authority, a public power authority.

UE – Union Electric Company, an Ameren Corporation subsidiary that operates a rate-regulated electric generation, transmission and distribution business, and a rate-regulated natural gas transmission and distribution business in Missouri as AmerenUE.

 

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FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Statements in this report not based on historical facts are considered “forward-looking” and, accordingly, involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed. Although such forward-looking statements have been made in good faith and are based on reasonable assumptions, there is no assurance that the expected results will be achieved. These statements include (without limitation) statements as to future expectations, beliefs, plans, strategies, objectives, events, conditions, and financial performance. In connection with the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, we are providing this cautionary statement to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated. The following factors, in addition to those discussed under Risk Factors and elsewhere in this report and in our other filings with the SEC, could cause actual results to differ materially from management expectations suggested in such forward-looking statements:

 

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regulatory or legislative actions, including changes in regulatory policies and ratemaking determinations and future rate proceedings or future legislative actions that seek to limit or reverse rate increases;

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uncertainty as to the continued effectiveness of the Illinois power procurement process;

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changes in laws and other governmental actions, including monetary and fiscal policies;

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changes in laws or regulations that adversely affect the ability of electric distribution companies and other purchasers of wholesale electricity to pay their suppliers, including UE and Marketing Company;

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enactment of legislation taxing electric generators, in Illinois or elsewhere;

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the effects of increased competition in the future due to, among other things, deregulation of certain aspects of our business at both the state and federal levels, and the implementation of deregulation, such as occurred when the electric rate freeze and power supply contracts expired in Illinois at the end of 2006;

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increasing capital expenditure and operating expense requirements and our ability to recover these costs in a timely fashion in light of regulatory lag;

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the effects of participation in the MISO;

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the cost and availability of fuel such as coal, natural gas, and enriched uranium used to produce electricity; the cost and availability of purchased power and natural gas for distribution; and the level and volatility of future market prices for such commodities, including the ability to recover the costs for such commodities;

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the effectiveness of our risk management strategies and the use of financial and derivative instruments;

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prices for power in the Midwest, including forward prices;

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business and economic conditions, including their impact on interest rates, bad debt expense, and demand for our products;

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disruptions of the capital markets or other events that make the Ameren Companies’ access to necessary capital, including short-term credit, impossible, more difficult or costly;

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our assessment of our liquidity;

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the impact of the adoption of new accounting standards and the application of appropriate technical accounting rules and guidance;

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actions of credit rating agencies and the effects of such actions;

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weather conditions and other natural phenomena, including impacts to our customers;

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the impact of system outages caused by severe weather conditions or other events;

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generation plant construction, installation and performance, including costs associated with UE’s Taum Sauk pumped-storage hydroelectric plant incident and the plant’s future operation;

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recoverability through insurance of costs associated with UE’s Taum Sauk pumped-storage hydroelectric plant incident;

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operation of UE’s nuclear power facility, including planned and unplanned outages, and decommissioning costs;

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the effects of strategic initiatives, including acquisitions and divestitures;

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the impact of current environmental regulations on utilities and power generating companies and the expectation that more stringent requirements, including those related to greenhouse gases, will be introduced over time, which could have a negative financial effect;

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labor disputes, future wage and employee benefits costs, including changes in discount rates and returns on benefit plan assets;

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the inability of our counterparties and affiliates to meet their obligations with respect to contracts, credit facilities and financial instruments;

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the cost and availability of transmission capacity for the energy generated by the Ameren Companies’ facilities or required to satisfy energy sales made by the Ameren Companies;

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legal and administrative proceedings; and

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acts of sabotage, war, terrorism or intentionally disruptive acts.

Ameren, headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, is a public utility holding company under PUHCA 2005 administered by FERC. Ameren was formed in 1997 by the merger of UE and CIPSCO. Ameren acquired CILCORP in 2003 and IP in 2004. Ameren’s primary assets are the common stock of its subsidiaries, including UE, CIPS, Genco, CILCORP and IP.

Ameren’s subsidiaries are separate, independent legal entities with separate businesses, assets and liabilities. These subsidiaries operate rate-regulated electric generation, transmission and distribution businesses, rate-regulated natural gas transmission and distribution businesses, and non-rate-regulated electric generation businesses in Missouri and Illinois. Dividends on Ameren’s common stock are dependent on distributions made to it by its subsidiaries.

 

The following table presents our total employees at December 31, 2008:

 

Ameren(a)		9,524
UE		4,146
CIPS		679
Genco		577
CILCORP/CILCO		626
IP		1,173

 

(a)	Total for Ameren includes Ameren registrant and nonregistrant subsidiaries.

As of January 1, 2009, the IBEW, the IUOE, the NCF&O and the Laborers and Gas Fitters labor unions collectively represent about 58% of Ameren’s total employees. They represent 63% of the employees at UE, 82% at CIPS, 70% at Genco, 38% at CILCORP, 38% at CILCO, and 90% at IP. All collective bargaining agreements that expired in 2008 have been renegotiated and ratified. Most of the collective

bargaining agreements have four- or five-year terms, and expire in 2011 and 2012. The collective bargaining agreement between UE and IUOE Local 148, covering approximately 1,100 employees, expires on June 30, 2009.

For additional information about the development of our businesses, our business operations, and factors affecting our operations and financial position, see Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under Part II, Item 7, of this report and Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report.

BUSINESS SEGMENTS

Ameren has three reportable segments: Missouri Regulated, Illinois Regulated, and Non-rate-regulated Generation. CILCORP and CILCO have two reportable segments: Illinois Regulated and Non-rate-regulated Generation. See Note 17 – Segment Information to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report for additional information on reporting segments.

RATES AND REGULATION

Rates

Rates that UE, CIPS, CILCO and IP are allowed to charge for their utility services are an important influence upon their and Ameren’s consolidated results of operations, financial position, and liquidity. The utility rates charged to UE, CIPS, CILCO and IP customers are determined by governmental entities. Decisions by these entities are influenced by many factors, including the cost of providing service, the quality of service, regulatory staff knowledge and experience, economic conditions, public policy, and social and political views. Decisions made by these governmental entities regarding rates, as well as the regulatory lag involved in filing and getting new rates approved, could have a material impact on the results of operations, financial position, or liquidity of UE, CIPS, CILCORP, CILCO, IP and Ameren.

The ICC regulates rates and other matters for CIPS, CILCO and IP. The MoPSC regulates rates and other matters for UE. The FERC regulates UE, CIPS, Genco, CILCO, and IP as to their ability to charge market-based rates for the sale and transmission of energy in interstate commerce and various other matters discussed below under General Regulatory Matters.

About 35% of Ameren’s electric and 14% of its gas operating revenues were subject to regulation by the MoPSC in the year ended December 31, 2008. About 41% of Ameren’s electric and 86% of its gas operating revenues were subject to regulation by the ICC in the year ended December 31, 2008. Wholesale revenues for UE, Genco and AERG are subject to FERC regulation, but not subject to direct MoPSC or ICC regulation.

 

Missouri Regulated

Electric

About 81% of UE’s electric operating revenues were subject to regulation by the MoPSC in the year ended December 31, 2008.

Following the expiration of a multiyear electric rate change moratorium, UE filed a request with the MoPSC in July 2006 for approval of an increase in its annual revenues for electric service. In May 2007, the MoPSC issued an order, that, as clarified, granted UE a $43 million increase in base rates for electric service, effective June 4, 2007.

On January 27, 2009, the MoPSC issued an order responding to UE’s April 2008 rate increase request, approving an increase for UE in annual revenues for electric service of approximately $162 million. The MoPSC also approved UE’s implementation of a FAC and a vegetation management and infrastructure inspection cost tracking mechanism. Rate changes consistent with the MoPSC order, as well as the FAC and the vegetation management and infrastructure inspection cost tracking mechanism, were effective as of March 1, 2009. These cost recovery and tracking mechanisms help to mitigate the negative effect of regulatory lag.

The MoPSC initiated a proceeding in December 2008 to develop revised rules for an environmental cost recovery mechanism, which has been authorized under Missouri law. Rules for the environmental cost recovery mechanism are expected to be approved by the MoPSC during the second quarter of 2009 and will be effective once published in the Missouri Register. UE will not be able to implement an environmental cost recovery mechanism until authorized by the MoPSC as part of a rate case proceeding. UE has not requested approval of an environmental cost recovery mechanism.

Gas

All of UE’s gas operating revenues were subject to regulation by the MoPSC in the year ended December 31, 2008.

If certain criteria are met, UE’s gas rates may be adjusted without a traditional rate proceeding. PGA clauses permit prudently incurred natural gas costs to be passed directly to the consumer. The ISRS also permits prudently incurred gas infrastructure replacement costs to be passed directly to the consumer.

As part of a 2007 stipulation and agreement approved by the MoPSC authorizing an increase in annual natural gas delivery revenues of $6 million effective April 1, 2007, UE agreed not to file a natural gas delivery rate case before March 15, 2010. This agreement did not prevent UE from filing to recover gas infrastructure replacement costs through an ISRS during this three-year rate moratorium. During 2008, the MoPSC approved two UE requests to establish an ISRS to recover annual revenues of $2 million in the aggregate, effective in March and November 2008.

For further information on Missouri rate matters, see Results of Operations and Outlook in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under Part II, Item 7, Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk under Part II, Item 7A, and Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters, and Note 15 – Commitments and Contingencies to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report.

Illinois Regulated

The following table presents the approximate percentage of electric and gas operating revenues subject to regulation by the ICC for each of the Illinois Regulated companies for the year ended December 31, 2008:

 

		Electric			Gas
CIPS		100	%		100	%
CILCORP/CILCO(a)		56			100
IP		100			100

 

(a)	AERG’s revenues are not subject to ICC regulation.

If certain criteria are met, CIPS’, CILCO’s and IP’s gas rates may be adjusted without a traditional rate proceeding. PGA clauses permit prudently incurred natural gas costs to be passed directly to the consumer.

Environmental adjustment rate riders authorized by the ICC permit the recovery of prudently incurred MGP remediation and litigation costs from CIPS’, CILCO’s and IP’s Illinois electric and natural gas utility customers. In addition, IP has a tariff rider to recover the costs of asbestos-related litigation claims, subject to the following terms. Beginning in 2007, 90% of cash expenditures in excess of the amount included in base electric rates is recoverable by IP from a trust fund established by IP. At December 31, 2008, the trust fund balance was $23 million, including accumulated interest. If cash expenditures are less than the amount in base rates, IP will contribute 90% of the difference to the fund. Once the trust fund is depleted, 90% of allowed cash expenditures in excess of base rates will be recoverable through charges assessed to customers under the tariff rider.

A multiyear electric rate moratorium expired and new electric rates for CIPS, CILCO and IP went into effect on January 2, 2007. The new rates reflected delivery service tariffs approved by the ICC in November 2006 and a cost recovery mechanism for power purchased on behalf of the Ameren Illinois Utilities’ customers. In 2007, an agreement was reached among key stakeholders in Illinois to address the increase in electric rates and the future power procurement process. The Illinois electric settlement agreement provides $1 billion of funding from 2007 to 2010 for rate relief for certain electric customers in Illinois, including $488 million to customers of the Ameren Illinois Utilities. Ameren’s contributions over the four-year period under the Illinois electric settlement agreement aggregate $150 million.

 

In September 2008, responding to CIPS’, CILCO’s and IP’s November 2007 electric and natural gas rate adjustment requests, the ICC issued a consolidated order approving a net increase in annual revenues for electric service of $123 million in the aggregate (CIPS – $22 million increase, CILCO – $3 million decrease, and IP – $104 million increase) and a net increase in annual revenues for natural gas delivery service of $38 million in the aggregate (CIPS – $7 million increase, CILCO – $9 million decrease, and IP – $40 million increase). Rate changes implementing these adjustments were effective on October 1, 2008. The ICC also approved an increase in the percentage of costs to be recovered through fixed monthly charges for natural gas customers, as well as an increase in the Supply Cost Adjustment factors for the customers who take their power supply from the Ameren Illinois Utilities. These two rate structure changes help to mitigate the negative effect of regulatory lag.

For further information on Illinois rate matters, including the pending court appeal of the September 2008 consolidated electric and gas rate order, see Results of Operations and Outlook in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under Part II, Item 7, Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk under Part II, Item 7A, and Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters, and Note 15 – Commitments and Contingencies to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report.

Non-rate-regulated Generation

Non-rate-regulated Generation revenues are determined by market conditions. We expect the Non-rate-regulated Generation fleet of assets to have 6,480 megawatts of capacity available for the 2009 peak demand. As discussed below, Genco, AERG, and EEI sell all of their power and capacity to Marketing Company via power supply agreements. Marketing Company attempts to optimize the value of those generation assets and mitigate risks utilizing a variety of hedging techniques including wholesale sales of capacity and energy, retail sales in the non-rate-regulated Illinois market, spot market sales primarily in MISO and PJM, and financial transactions. Marketing Company enters into long-term and short-term contracts. Marketing Company’s counterparties include cooperatives, municipalities, commercial and industrial customers, power marketers, MISO, and investor-owned utilities like the Ameren Illinois Utilities. See Note 14 – Related Party Transactions to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report for additional information, including Marketing Company sales to the Ameren Illinois Utilities.

General Regulatory Matters

UE, CIPS, CILCO and IP must receive FERC approval to issue short-term debt securities and to conduct certain acquisitions, mergers and consolidations involving electric utility holding companies having a value in excess of $10 million. In addition, these Ameren utilities must receive

authorization from the applicable state public utility regulatory agency to issue stock and long-term debt securities (with maturities of more than 12 months) and to conduct mergers, affiliate transactions, and various other activities. Genco, AERG and EEI are subject to FERC’s jurisdiction when they issue any securities.

Under PUHCA 2005, FERC and any state public utility regulatory agencies may access books and records of Ameren and its subsidiaries that are determined to be relevant to costs incurred by Ameren’s rate-regulated subsidiaries with respect to jurisdictional rates. PUHCA 2005 also permits Ameren, the ICC, or the MoPSC to request that FERC review cost allocations by Ameren Services to other Ameren companies.

Operation of UE’s Callaway nuclear plant is subject to regulation by the NRC. Its facility operating license expires on June 11, 2024. UE intends to submit a license extension application with the NRC to extend its Callaway nuclear plant’s operating license to 2044. UE’s Osage hydroelectric plant and UE’s Taum Sauk pumped-storage hydroelectric plant, as licensed projects under the Federal Power Act, are subject to FERC regulations affecting, among other things, the general operation and maintenance of the projects. The license for UE’s Osage hydroelectric plant expires on March 30, 2047, and the license for UE’s Taum Sauk plant expires on June 30, 2010. In June 2008, UE filed an application with FERC to relicense its Taum Sauk plant for another 40 years. The Taum Sauk plant is currently out of service. It is being rebuilt due to a major breach of the upper reservoir in December 2005. UE’s Keokuk plant and its dam, in the Mississippi River between Hamilton, Illinois, and Keokuk, Iowa, are operated under authority granted by an Act of Congress in 1905.

For additional information on regulatory matters, see Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters and Note 15 – Commitments and Contingencies to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report, which include a discussion about the December 2005 breach of the upper reservoir at UE’s Taum Sauk pumped-storage hydroelectric plant.

Environmental Matters

Certain of our operations are subject to federal, state, and local environmental statutes or regulations relating to the safety and health of personnel, the public, and the environment. These matters include identification, generation, storage, handling, transportation, disposal, recordkeeping, labeling, reporting, and emergency response in connection with hazardous and toxic materials, safety and health standards, and environmental protection requirements, including standards and limitations relating to the discharge of air and water pollutants. Failure to comply with those statutes or regulations could have material adverse effects on us. We could be subject to criminal or civil penalties by regulatory agencies. We could be ordered to make payment to private parties by the courts. Except as indicated in this report, we believe that we

are in material compliance with existing statutes and regulations.

For additional discussion of environmental matters, including NO_x, SO₂, and mercury emission reduction requirements and the December 2005 breach of the upper reservoir at UE’s Taum Sauk pumped-storage hydroelectric plant, see Liquidity and Capital Resources in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under Part II, Item 7, and Note 15 – Commitments and Contingencies to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report.

SUPPLY FOR ELECTRIC POWER

Ameren operates an integrated transmission system that comprises the transmission assets of UE, CIPS, CILCO, IP and AITC. AITC placed its first transmission assets, jointly owned with IP, in service during the fourth quarter of 2008. Any transmission assets of AITC would be eligible for rate recovery upon making the necessary filings with and acceptance by FERC. Ameren also operates two balancing authority areas, AMMO (which includes UE) and AMIL (which includes CIPS, CILCO, IP, AITC, Genco and AERG). During 2008, the peak demand in AMMO was 8,644 MW and in AMIL was 8,794 MW. The Ameren transmission system directly connects with 17 other balancing authority areas for the exchange of electric energy.

UE, CIPS, CILCO and IP are transmission-owning members of MISO, and they have transferred functional control of their systems to MISO. Transmission service on the UE, CIPS, CILCO and IP transmission systems is provided pursuant to the terms of the MISO OATT on file with FERC. EEI operates its own balancing authority area and its own transmission facilities in southern Illinois. The EEI transmission system is directly connected to MISO and TVA. EEI’s generating units are dispatched separately from those of UE, Genco and AERG.

The Ameren Companies and EEI are members of SERC. SERC is responsible for the bulk electric power supply system in much of the southeastern United States, including all or portions of Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Virginia, Florida, Oklahoma, Iowa, and Texas. The Ameren membership covers UE, CIPS, CILCO and IP.

See Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report for further information.

Missouri Regulated

UE’s electric supply is obtained primarily from its own generation. Factors that could cause UE to purchase power include, among other things, absence of sufficient owned generation, plant outages, the failure of suppliers to meet their power supply obligations, extreme weather conditions, and the availability of power at a cost lower than the cost of generating it.

In March 2006, UE completed the purchase of three CT facilities, totaling 1,490 megawatts of capacity, at a price of $292 million. These purchases were designed to help meet UE’s increased generating capacity needs and to provide UE with additional flexibility in determining when to add future baseload generating capacity. UE expects these CT facilities to satisfy demand growth until 2018 or 2020. However, due to the significant time required to plan, acquire permits for, and build a baseload power plant, UE is actively studying future plant alternatives, including those that would use coal or nuclear fuel. In 2008, UE filed an integrated resource plan with the MoPSC. The plan included proposals to pursue energy efficiency programs, expand the role of renewable energy sources in UE’s overall generation mix, increase operational efficiency at existing power plants, and possibly retire some generating units that are older and less efficient.

In July 2008, UE filed a COLA with the NRC for a potential new nuclear unit at UE’s existing Callaway County, Missouri, nuclear plant site. In addition, in 2008, UE filed an application with the DOE for loan guarantees associated with the potential construction of a new nuclear unit. UE has also signed contracts for certain long lead-time nuclear plant related equipment. The filing of the COLA and the DOE loan guarantee application and entering into these contracts does not mean a decision has been made to build another nuclear unit. These are only the first steps in the regulatory licensing and procurement process and are necessary actions to preserve the option to develop a new nuclear unit.

See also Outlook in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under Part II, Item 7 and Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters and Note 15 – Commitments and Contingencies to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report.

Illinois Regulated

As of January 1, 2007, CIPS, CILCO and IP were required to obtain all electric supply requirements for customers who did not purchase electric supply from third-party suppliers. The power procurement costs incurred by CIPS, CILCO and IP are passed directly to their customers through a cost recovery mechanism.

In September 2006, a reverse power procurement auction was held, as a result of which CIPS, CILCO and IP entered into power supply contracts with the winning bidders, including Marketing Company. Under these contracts, the electric suppliers are responsible for providing to CIPS, CILCO and IP energy, capacity, certain transmission, volumetric risk management, and other services necessary for the Ameren Illinois Utilities to serve the electric load needs of fixed price residential and small commercial customers (with less than one MW of demand) at an all-inclusive fixed price. These contracts commenced on January 1, 2007, with one-third of the supply contracts expiring in each of May 2008, 2009 and 2010.

 

As part of the Illinois electric settlement agreement reached in 2007, the reverse power procurement auction process in Illinois was discontinued. It was replaced with a new power procurement process led by the IPA beginning in 2009. Under the new plan, the IPA will procure separate wholesale products (capacity, energy swaps and renewable energy credits) on behalf of the Ameren Illinois Utilities for the period of June 1, 2009, through May 30, 2014. The products will be procured through a RFP process, which is expected to begin during the first half of 2009. In 2008, utilities contracted for necessary power and energy requirements not already supplied through the September 2006 auction contracts, primarily through a RFP process that was subject to ICC review and approval.

A portion of the electric power supply required for the Ameren Illinois Utilities to satisfy their distribution customers’ requirements is purchased from Marketing Company on behalf of Genco, AERG and EEI. Also as part of the Illinois electric settlement agreement, the Ameren Illinois Utilities entered into financial contracts with Marketing Company (for the benefit of Genco and AERG), to lock in energy prices for 400 to 1,000 megawatts annually of their round-the-clock power requirements during the period June 1, 2008, to December 31, 2012, at relevant market prices at that time. These financial contracts do not include capacity, are not load-following products, and do not involve the physical delivery of energy.

See Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters and Note 14 – Related Party Transactions to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report for additional information on power procurement in Illinois.

Non-rate-regulated Generation

In December 2006, Genco and Marketing Company, and AERG and Marketing Company, entered into power supply agreements whereby Genco and AERG sell and Marketing Company purchases all the capacity available from Genco’s and AERG’s generation fleets and the associated energy commencing on January 1, 2007. These power supply agreements continue through December 31, 2022, and from year to year thereafter unless either party elects to terminate the agreement by providing the other party with no less than six months advance written notice. In December 2005, EEI and Marketing Company entered into a power supply agreement whereby EEI sells all of its capacity and energy to Marketing Company commencing January 1, 2006. This agreement expires on December 31, 2015. All of Genco’s, AERG’s and EEI’s generating capacity competes for the sale of energy and capacity in the competitive energy markets through Marketing Company. See Note 14 – Related Party Transactions to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report for additional information.

Factors that could cause Marketing Company to purchase power for the Non-rate-regulated Generation business segment include, among other things, absence of sufficient owned generation, plant outages, the failure of suppliers to meet their power supply obligations, and extreme weather conditions.

Coal

UE, Genco, AERG and EEI have agreements in place to purchase a portion of their coal needs and to transport it to electric generating facilities through 2012. UE, Genco, AERG and EEI expect to enter into additional contracts to purchase coal. Coal supply agreements typically have an initial term of five years, with about 20% of the contracts expiring annually. Ameren burned 40.3 million (UE – 22.0 million, Genco – 9.6 million, AERG – 3.7 million, EEI – 5.0 million) tons of coal in 2008. See Part II, Item 7A – Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk of this report for additional information about coal supply contracts.

About 96% of Ameren’s coal (UE – 97%, Genco – 98%, AERG – 77%, EEI – 100%) is purchased from the Powder River Basin in Wyoming. The remaining coal is typically purchased from the Illinois Basin. UE, Genco, AERG and EEI have a policy to maintain coal inventory consistent with their projected usage. Inventory may be adjusted because of uncertainties of supply due to potential work stoppages, delays in coal deliveries,

equipment breakdowns, and other factors. In the past, deliveries from the Powder River Basin have been restricted because of rail maintenance, weather and derailments. As of December 31, 2008, coal inventories for UE, Genco, AERG and EEI were adequate and at targeted levels. Disruptions in coal deliveries could cause UE, Genco, AERG and EEI to pursue a strategy that could include reducing sales of power during low-margin periods, buying higher-cost fuels to generate required electricity, and purchasing power from other sources.

Nuclear

Developing nuclear generating fuel generally involves the mining and milling of uranium ore to produce uranium concentrates, the conversion of uranium concentrates to uranium hexafluoride gas, enrichment of that gas, and then the fabrication of the enriched uranium hexafluoride gas into usable fuel assemblies. UE has entered into uranium, uranium conversion, enrichment, and fabrication contracts to procure the fuel supply for its Callaway nuclear plant.

Fuel assemblies for the 2010 spring refueling at UE’s Callaway nuclear plant will begin manufacture during the fourth quarter of 2009. Enriched uranium for such assemblies is in inventory. UE also has agreements or inventories to price-hedge approximately 95% of Callaway’s 2010 and 55% of Callaway’s 2011 refueling requirements. UE has uranium (concentrate and hexafluoride) inventories and supply contracts sufficient to meet all of its uranium and conversion requirements through at least 2014. UE has enriched uranium inventories and enrichment supply contracts sufficient to satisfy enrichment requirements through 2012. Fuel fabrication services are under contract through 2010. UE expects to enter into additional contracts to purchase nuclear fuel. As a member of Fuelco, UE can join with other member companies to increase its purchasing power and opportunities for volume discounts. The Callaway nuclear plant normally requires refueling at 18-month intervals. The last refueling was completed in November 2008. There is no refueling scheduled in 2009 or 2012. The nuclear fuel markets are competitive, and prices can be volatile; however, we do not anticipate any significant problems in meeting our future supply requirements.

Natural Gas Supply

To maintain gas deliveries to gas-fired generating units throughout the year, especially during the summer peak demand, Ameren’s portfolio of natural gas supply resources includes firm transportation capacity and firm no-notice storage capacity leased from interstate pipelines. UE, Genco and EEI primarily use the interstate pipeline systems of Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company, Trunkline Gas Company, Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, and Mississippi River Transmission Corporation to transport natural gas to generating units. In addition to physical transactions, Ameren uses financial instruments, including some in the NYMEX futures market and some in the OTC financial markets, to hedge the price paid for natural gas.

UE, Genco and EEI’s natural gas procurement strategy is designed to ensure reliable and immediate delivery of natural gas to their generating units. UE, Genco and EEI do this in two ways. They optimize transportation and storage options and minimize cost and price risk through various supply and price hedging agreements that allow them to maintain access to multiple gas pools, supply basins, and storage. As of December 31, 2008, UE had price-hedged about 22% and Genco had price-hedged about 30% of their required gas supply for generation in 2009. As of December 31, 2008, EEI did not have any of its required gas supply for generation hedged for price risk.

NATURAL GAS SUPPLY FOR DISTRIBUTION

UE, CIPS, CILCO and IP are responsible for the purchase and delivery of natural gas to their gas utility customers. UE, CIPS, CILCO and IP develop and manage a portfolio of gas supply resources. These include firm gas supply under term agreements with producers, interstate and intrastate firm transportation capacity, firm storage capacity leased from interstate pipelines, and on-system

storage facilities to maintain gas deliveries to customers throughout the year and especially during peak demand. UE, CIPS, CILCO and IP primarily use the Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Company, the Trunkline Gas Company, the Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America, the Mississippi River Transmission Corporation, and the Texas Eastern Transmission Corporation interstate pipeline systems to transport natural gas to their systems. In addition to physical transactions, financial instruments, including those entered into in the NYMEX futures market and in the OTC financial markets, are used to hedge the price paid for natural gas. See Part II, Item 7A – Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk of this report for additional information about natural gas supply contracts. Prudently incurred natural gas purchase costs are passed on to customers of UE, CIPS, CILCO and IP in Illinois and Missouri under PGA clauses, subject to prudency review by the ICC and the MoPSC.

For additional information on our fuel and purchased power supply, see Results of Operations, Liquidity and Capital Resources and Effects of Inflation and Changing Prices in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under Part II, Item 7, of this report. Also see Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk under Part II, Item 7A, of this report, Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, Note 7 – Derivative Financial Instruments, Note 14 – Related Party Transactions, Note 15 – Commitments and Contingencies, and Note 16 – Callaway Nuclear Plant to our financial statements under Part II, Item  8.

INDUSTRY ISSUES

We are facing issues common to the electric and gas utility industry and the non-rate-regulated electric generation industry. These issues include:

 

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political and regulatory resistance to higher rates, especially in a recessionary economic environment;

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the potential for changes in laws, regulation, and policies at the state and federal level, including those resulting from election cycles;

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access to and uncertainty in the capital and credit markets;

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the potential for more intense competition in generation and supply;

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pressure on customer growth and usage in light of current economic conditions;

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the potential for reregulation in some states, including Illinois, which could cause electric distribution companies to build or acquire generation facilities and to purchase less power from electric generating companies like Genco, AERG and EEI;

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changes in the structure of the industry as a result of changes in federal and state laws, including the

formation of non-rate-regulated generating entities and RTOs;

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increases or decreases in power prices due to the balance of supply and demand;

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the availability of fuel and increases or decreases in fuel prices;

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the availability of labor and material and rising costs;

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regulatory lag;

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negative free cash flows due to rising investments and the regulatory framework;

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continually developing and complex environmental laws, regulations and issues, including air-quality standards, mercury regulations, and increasingly likely greenhouse gas limitations;

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public concern about the siting of new facilities;

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construction of power generation and transmission facilities;

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proposals for programs to encourage or mandate energy efficiency and renewable sources of power;

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public concerns about nuclear plant operation and decommissioning and the disposal of nuclear waste; and

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consolidation of electric and gas companies.

We are monitoring these issues. Except as otherwise noted in this report, we are unable to predict what impact, if any, these issues will have on our results of operations, financial position, or liquidity. For additional information, see Risk Factors under Part I, Item 1A, and Outlook and Regulatory Matters in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations under Part II, Item 7, and Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters, and Note 15 – Commitments and Contingencies to our financial statements under Part II, Item 8, of this report.