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CUBFacts
Under a new state law, Ameren customers are now eligible for the same compensation as ComEd customers for damages caused by a long power outage. Provisions in the Illinois Public Utilities Act, which have now been extended to cover Ameren customers, call for customers to be eligible for compensation for damages caused by outages that:
How Can I Get Compensation For Damages Caused By A Power Outage?
1. are due to the utility’s negligence; and
Outages that are due to bad weather or customer tampering are exempt.
2. affect more than 30,000 customers; and 3. continue at least four hours; and 4. result in the transmission of power of less than 50 percent. If you are a victim of a power outage or surge that fits this criteria, you can fill out a claim form with your utility, which also explains your rights. Under law, the expense of giving customers compensation for the damages cannot be recovered through rates. What if my claim is denied? Under the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997, you can file a complaint with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) if your claim is denied. While the ICC does not have the jurisdiction to force a company to give compensation for outages, it can verify whether an outage fits all the criteria for compensation. The customer can then take that information back to the utility to get compensation, or, if necessary, use that information to build a case in small claims court. Read the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law. If your neighborhood is plagued by recurring outages of any length that have no connection to the weather, CUB encourages you to file a complaint with the ICC against your utility for poor service.
File a claim with ComEd or call 1-800-334-7661.
File a claim with AmerenCILCO: 1-888-672-5252 File a claim with AmerenCIPS: 1-888-789-2477 File a claim with AmerenIP: 1-800-755-5000 File a complaint with the ICC or call 1-800-524-0795. |
