Ameren history

In 1999, the company's large commercial customers were allowed to choose energy suppliers, which forced it to seek out major contracts with powerful industrial concerns, including Archer Daniels Midland--Illinois' largest electricity customer.

In a merger completed February 1, 2000, Illinova became a wholly owned subsidiary of Dynegy Inc. (NYSE: DYN), in which Chevron Corporation also took a 28% stake.

At the same time, the company became embroiled in a rate dispute with the Missouri Public Service Commission (MPSC). In 2001, the MPSC set forth a proposal of an electric revenue reduction of over $300 million per year.

In 2002, Ameren Corporation announced a voluntary retirement program, which was offered to approximately 1,000 of Ameren’s 7,400 current employees, expecting to realize significant long-term savings.

At the end of 2003, Ameren’s chairman and chief executive, Charles Mueller, retired and was succeeded in both positions by Gary Rainwater, the company’s president and chief operating officer the past two years.

In December 2004, Ameren announced that Patrick T. Stokes, the president and chief executive officer of Anheuser-Busch Cos., Inc., was elected to the Ameren board of directors.

The power AmerenUE is purchasing will tie into the Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO) transmission grid, of which the company is a member, fulfilling AmerenUE’s commitment to add 100 megawatts of renewable capacity to serve its Missouri customers by 2010.”