A St. Louis-area homeowner recently shared their frustration on Reddit over a 25% electricity bill increase — even as their energy provider reported record profits. The poster asked the r/StLouis subreddit whether any options existed to mitigate the "ridiculous raise in cost."
"In the news this morning they are having record profits," one commenter pointed out, referencing Ameren's recent earnings release for the third quarter of 2025.
"I have budget billing and mine went from $135 to $172 a month. One person. Small place. Frugal use. It's robbery to pay for data centers. We are being squeezed by everyone to death," shared another.
Missouri legislators approved Ameren raising rates to fund infrastructure for anticipated AI industry energy demands, per St. Louis Public Radio. Commenters were quick to question why residential customers should subsidize a for-profit company's expansion to serve commercial data centers.
"Data centers and AI require huge amounts of energy, and we are footing the bill for Silicon Valley's AI ambitions," one commenter shared.
"Yep, they have a guaranteed profit margin. When base costs go up, or they can come up with an excuse to build something, their profits increase," someone else added.
Rising utility costs can hit your household budget hard, but solar panels can help to protect your family from rate increases and cut your monthly utility bills. The Cool Down's Solar Explorer connects homeowners with partners like EnergySage, which can secure competitive installation bids, saving you up to $10,000 on a solar setup.
Solar Explorer also offers no-money-down subscription options. One example is Palmetto's LightReach program, which can cut your utility rate by up to 20%.
Save $10,000 on solar panels — or get them on your roof without paying for purchase or installation Whatever your solar budget, Palmetto can help you save. If you want to buy your own panels, Palmetto's concierge advisors can help you save up to $10,000 on installation through a network of preferred installers. And if you'd rather get solar savings without upfront costs, Palmetto's revolutionary LightReach subscription program can deliver. LightReach lets you lease solar panels with no money down, making it painless to lock in long-term savings. Palmetto covers a 25-year warranty for the panels, which means you'll get reliable performance without unforeseen costs. To get started, just answer a few basic questions about your home and connect with Palmetto's experts to find the option that's right for you. |
"Get solar panels on your roof if you can. Ameren is a for-profit company and rates are only going up," encouraged one commenter.
While you're at it, check out Palmetto's free Home app, which gamifies simple actions you can take in everyday life to unlock up to $5,000 in rewards for home upgrades.
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Have your energy bills gone up in the past year? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
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