Show Me No-CWIP

Show Me No-CWIP is a campaign of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. Our mission is to protect a state law that makes it illegal for investor-owned electric utilities to charge ratepayers before a service is provided. This consumer protection law was supported by 66% of Missouri voters in 1976 and is now under attack by the same utilities it was meant to protect us from.

Construction Work In Progress (CWIP) – Allows utilities to charge ratepayers during construction projects like nuclear reactors through increased electric rates before a service is provided – also known as “pay-as-you-go”. The problem with this method is if the project is cancelled ratepayers are not likely to get our money back – and it would legal! Missouri currently outlaws “pay-as-you-go” financing for investor-owned utilities known as No-CWIP. Under the No-CWIP law utility shareholders take the risk on the company’s investments and ratepayers pay back the utility when a service is provided, like powering our lights. This is how it ought to stay!

Missouri’s investor-owned electric utilities are:

• Ameren Missouri
• Kansas City Power & Light
• Empire Electric

Ameren Missouri, based in St. Louis, would prefer the No-CWIP law be abolished and charge ratepayers along the way for a $9 billion (or more) nuclear reactor. An Ameren Missouri backed bill in 2009 would have fully repealed our important No-CWIP law passed by voters.  Thankfully reasonable thought prevailed and the bill was not successful.

Ameren Missouri came back in 2011 with a bill it supported that represented a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Instead of outright trying to repeal our ratepayer consumer protection law like in 2009, Ameren Missouri wanted to charge its ratepayers $45 million for a nuclear permit – a permit the utility knows it does not need. Ameren Missouri and it’s allies are back this year with a similar bill that could increase rates $115 million for the same nuclear permit the utility does not need. The proposed increase in rates does not provide a service for ratepayers or create a single job. Missouri Coalition for the Environment produced a video in 2011 that addresses why nuclear power is bad for ratepayers.

Moody’s calls new nuclear projects a “bet the farm” investment. Ameren Missouri calls “pay-as-you-go” financing like in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina progressive. You be the judge.

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Call your state representative and tell them to VOTE NO on H.B. 1316. Ratepayers do not need to pay higher electric bills for an investment Ameren shareholders and Wall Street is unwilling to make. Find your state legislator by typing in your zip code on the right side of the website.