Around the same time that Ameren has gotten headlines and praise for "bill relief" after the ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ tornado in May, the company has been walloping me and I am guessing many others with giant bills and threats of shutoff if they're not paid promptly. It seems to me to be a simple example of an incredibly wealthy public utility (and a monopoly) laundering its image in public while continuing and even increasing predatory practices in secret.Â
For some years now, I have been, like so many others, living with a disability that has contributed to financial shortfalls. Multiple times it has gotten to the point of Ameren threatening to shut off my power. The threatening letters have energy assistance resources, but none of them actually work for me, which I am guessing is not unique.Â
The most recent bill increase is the largest I have seen, combined with the fastest threat of disconnecting service that I have ever gotten. It saddened but did not surprise me to learn that the company has sent a lot of campaign money to MAGA Republicans, and I wonder if they're starting to get more openly predatory now because they can. Either way, to them I'm prey.
Letter: The villains in this story are the nihilists of ×îÐÂÐÓ°ÉÔ´´ — and there are enough of them in the city to constitute their own political party.
