Ameren Releases 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report

Report highlights how company balances responsibilities to customers, communities, shareholders, its workforce and the environment

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Ameren Corporation

Apr 27, 2017, 14:00 ET

ST. LOUIS, April 27, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2017 Corporate Social Responsibility Report for Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) is now available at AmerenCSR.com. The voluntary report details Ameren's commitment to energy sustainability and the company's responsibilities to its many stakeholders.

The report addresses a range of topics, including environmental performance, community betterment and financial strength.

"Operating in a sustainable way requires us to carefully balance multiple priorities," said Warner L. Baxter, Ameren's chairman, president and chief executive officer. "First, we have a responsibility to our customers and the communities we serve – we remain focused on delivering superior customer value, including very good reliability at reasonable prices. We also have a responsibility to shareholders, who are Ameren's owners, and to our co-workers, with safety being one of our core values. And of course we have a responsibility to be good stewards of the environment and our shared world."

Report highlights include:

Cleaner air: Ameren has achieved significant decreases in emissions at its coal-fired energy centers since 2005. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions dropped by 26 percent, nitrogen oxide (NO_x) emissions dropped by 44 percent and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emissions were reduced by 63 percent.
Economic Impact: Serving as an economic engine in Illinois and Missouri, Ameren made more than $2 billion of capital expenditures in 2016, supported a payroll of $994 million and paid $467 million in state and local taxes.
Customer Value: Ameren Missouri's and Ameren Illinois' electric rates remain below the Midwest and U.S. averages. Even though Ameren's prices are comparatively low, some customers need extra help, which is why Ameren partners with social agencies to administer bill assistance programs funded by company and customer contributions.
Reliability: Ameren's electric distribution reliability performance has improved, as measured by the System Average Interruption Frequency Index (SAIFI). This important industry measure shows how Ameren has reduced the total number of interruptions per customer served per year.
Charitable giving: Ameren contributed nearly $7.3 million in 2016 to nearly 1,000 nonprofit organizations throughout the two-state region.
Financial performance: Ameren shareholders have seen a total cumulative shareholder return of 63 percent over the three-year period from Dec. 31, 2013, through Dec. 31, 2016, performance that beat indices such as the S&P 500 Utilities and Philadelphia Utility Index.

In October 2017, Ameren Missouri will release its updated 20-year energy generation plan. Baxter previewed this update in a video message that's part of the report.

"We remain committed to transitioning to a cleaner, more diverse generation portfolio in a responsible fashion," Baxter said.

Baxter continued: "Our vision – 'Leading the Way to a Secure Energy Future' – describes the future we work to enable: a future with cleaner energy and a stronger, smarter grid capable of delivering the products and services our customers value most, while delivering the long-term economic growth of the communities we serve and delivering superior value to the shareholders to whom we are accountable."

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 delivery and transmission service as well as natural gas delivery service. Ameren Missouri provides vertically integrated electric service, with generating capacity of over 10,200 megawatts, and natural gas delivery service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois develops regional electric transmission projects. For more information, visit Ameren.com, or follow us at @AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp or LinkedIn/company/Ameren.

Download - Ameren's two-page summary PDF

SOURCE Ameren Corporation