Opposition groups are praising the Illinois Commerce Commission’s decision to reject Ameren Illinois’ smart grid plan.  The Citizens Utility Board says Ameren’s $625 million proposal was a step in the right direction but lacked key details on customer benefits. 

The ICC oversees Illinois’ electric system and voted unanimously on Tuesday to send the plan back to the utility powerhouse for further review.  The Commission says under the current plan the majority of Ameren’s 1.2 million Central Illinois customers wouldn’t see the benefits of a smart grid upgrade until 2022 at the earliest, but they would be paying for the fee increases immediately.