Ameren Shares 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

ST. LOUIS, April 23, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ameren Corporation's 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility Report is now available for download as an interactive PDF. The report, available at www.ameren.com/csr, is intended for digital viewing to conserve natural resources.

The report discusses how Ameren (NYSE: AEE) balances its responsibilities to its customers and communities, its workforce, the environment and shareholders. The report addresses a range of topics important to diverse stakeholder groups, including:

·         Ameren's plan to transition to a cleaner, more diverse generation portfolio in a responsible fashion.

·         The company's investments to modernize its energy infrastructure and create long-term value for customers and jobs for the local economy.

·         Ameren's charitable giving and co-worker volunteer efforts in Illinois and Missouri.

"Ameren's 8,500 co-workers are here each day to provide the electricity and natural gas that powers the quality of life for millions of people in Illinois and Missouri," said Warner Baxter, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Ameren. "This is a tremendous and humbling responsibility.  Our 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility report is part of our ongoing effort to communicate our perspectives to key stakeholders so we can better work together to enhance our company's and our communities' sustainability efforts in the future."

While Ameren already makes public a variety of information regarding these topics, the company created the voluntary report to provide stakeholders with an open discussion of the company's approach to community betterment, environmental stewardship and financial strength.

Some highlights:

·         Cleaner Air: Since 2010, Ameren's generation facilities in Missouri have reduced emissions of sulfur dioxide by 58 percent and nitrogen oxide by 21 percent. Ameren Missouri's carbon dioxide emissions also decreased by 15 percent over the same period.

·         Renewable Energy: Ameren is committed to transitioning to a cleaner, more diverse fuel portfolio in a responsible fashion, as demonstrated in its 20-year energy plan for Missouri that includes building 500 MW of new renewable generation.  In November 2014, as part of this plan, Ameren Missouri opened the state's largest utility-scale solar energy center.

·         Improving Reliability:  The report discusses Ameren's top-tier reliability record and its efforts to build the grid of the future that can better withstand storms, including new technology that can help predict and correct problems automatically when failures occur.

·         Focus on Diversity: For the fifth year in a row, Ameren in 2014 again was ranked a top regional utility for diversity by Diversity Inc. magazine, and the company continues to be recognized as a premier military veteran supporting company. 

·         Commitment to Volunteerism: From 2012 to 2014, Ameren employees and their friends and families have completed 300 volunteer projects in the communities they serve.

·         Rates: In Missouri and Illinois, residential electric rates on average were more than 25% below the national average of 12.56 cents per kilowatt hour, and also well below the Midwest average of 11.85 cents per kilowatt hour.*

St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life for 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area through its Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries. Ameren Illinois provides electric and natural gas delivery service while Ameren Missouri provides vertically integrated electric service, with generating capacity of 10,200 megawatts, and natural gas delivery service. Ameren Transmission of Illinois develops regional electric transmission projects. Follow the company on Twitter @AmerenCorp. For more information, visit Ameren.com.

* Based on EEI Winter Typical Bill and Average Rates Report. Midwest states based on U.S. Census definitions. Averages for 12 months ending June 2014, Ameren Illinois residential rates reflecting Zones I, II & III composite.

SOURCE Ameren Corporation