Paying Your CILCO Bill

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By WEEK Producer

Story Published: Jun 4, 2009 at 9:18 AM CDT

Story Updated: Jun 18, 2009 at 12:54 PM CDT

A Peoria woman is hoping Ameren–CILCO will forgive her debt and keep her lights on.

Kitty Elston says she owes four–thousand dollars in back utility payments.

She says she >needs< her electricity on for medical reasons, but says the utility has issued a disconnection notice.

"I'm not saying that I don't owe...I'm not saying I don't want to pay. I'm saying I just don't have the money to pay. Don't tell me I have to pay all this much. Let me pay one hundred dollars a month."

Ameren–CILCO spokesman Neal Johnson says the utility does have a lenient policy for people with special circumstances.

"Disconnection is a very last resort. In this situation, its very unfortunate that this is occurring however the customer knows exactly why this is occurring. Under federal rights of privacy act, I can't disclose any of her private information to you, nor would I...It's just wrong to. So, I think it's really something that the customer needs to do to address it and continue to work with us. We want to work. We'll do everything; but most importantly you just make a good faith effort. That's important."

Johnson says if >>anyone<< has a problem paying their utility bill, there are a number of payment plan options.

They include deferred payment plans...level payment plans...and hardships energy grants.

Thursday, Jan 21 at 3:46 PM Lee wrote ...

I think this lady should have a benefit to raise the money to get her bill paid and then try not to get behind again. And if she still has bills that are too high then maybe she should consider moving in with a relative and that would be cheaper for her.

Thursday, Jan 21 at 3:44 PM Lee wrote ...

cilco should ALWAYS be paid as it is almost as important as making the house payment.

Thursday, Jul 30 at 4:22 PM M wrote ...

With the economy such as it is, how can Cilco expect people to pay the whole amount of the bill after being shut off. I have tried to call them to set up payment arrangements prior to diconnection and they told me it was too late, I was already on the list. If a person is trying to make arrangments,how is it TOO LATE??? We must have another option!!!

Sunday, Jun 14 at 5:27 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Ameren only accepts TWO months of doctors excuses each year. There are Many on life substaining machines that get a small SSI check. And Ameren wants to continue to raise their rates. I do hope that the people on here that are complaining about someone with a medical need for power, never ends up in that situation. Ameran sucks, and there should be another company to give them a run for their thieving money.

Sunday, Jun 7 at 2:14 AM Just Me wrote ...

Cilco is ridiculous, and we are forced to 'deal' with it. Why can't we get another utility company and throw Cilco to the curb?

Saturday, Jun 6 at 3:02 AM Lilou Mace wrote ...

I lost my job on February 16th. it is a scary time. but it can be the best thing ever. i wrote a book about it since. I LOST MY JOB AND I LIKED IT!!! LILOU

Friday, Jun 5 at 8:06 AM Missy wrote ...

PeoriaGirl73, breaking a lease? Slumlord? Better be careful or you will end up on NoPayTenants.com with that landlord.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 11:27 PM how convenient wrote ...

gee, wouldnt it be nice if the rest of us could also ask cilco to forget a huge utility bill that we have racked up and havent paid for probalby about a year or more, then arrogantly say to them "Don't tell me I have to pay all this much", then turn around and demand from them that we only "pay one hundred dollars a month." i dont care what situation this lady is in, she has some nerve. i get the impression from the cilco rep in the video that this lady isnt even trying to resolve this.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 10:07 PM Lil'Rae wrote ...

$4,000 wow..maybe she should HEAT AND COOL with DIRT.............. ----GEOTHERMAL--------

Thursday, Jun 4 at 10:06 PM Lil'Rae wrote ...

$4,000 wow..maybe she should HEAT AND COOL with DIRT.............. ----GEOTHERMAL--------

Thursday, Jun 4 at 9:58 PM Beaucheckers wrote ...

While I am sympathetic to her situation I have to ask how her bill got to be that much?? Does she leave all her lights on all day/night??

Thursday, Jun 4 at 9:52 PM PeoriaGirl73 wrote ...

I rented an older 2 story house with a basement. I basically sealed the basement off, kept the heat on 68 and was like a sgt shutting off lights. However my first heating bill was for 1,100!! That was with plastic over the windows and everything! I had the landlord and Cilco come over to go through the house. Cilco told him that it was poorly insulated and needed new windows.Do you think the slumlord did it...nope. My heating bills for that winter amounted to almost 5k..broke my lease and moved

Thursday, Jun 4 at 7:40 PM cilco is the devil! wrote ...

i agree - cilco is BAD. how dare a business collect on a product or service they provide! those bastages! what are they thinking not to give their product and services away for free! the gall of some businesses never ceases to amaze me! how dare they! BAD CILCO. BAD.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 7:15 PM RMill wrote ...

im in agreement wth those of you say Cilco needs competition...They have a monopoly and they know it !

Thursday, Jun 4 at 6:36 PM Union Worker wrote ...

As you know Union workers don't have solid stable jobs. and we STILL HAVE to pay OUR bills. As for the wind farms they only produce power for the county they are located. So the county could be selling it to Chicago, but none the less if citizens weren't so money hungrey we would be able to get more up an running

Thursday, Jun 4 at 6:05 PM BSK wrote ...

THAT IS BULL. IF HER CILCO IS FORGIVEN THEN EVERYONE WHO PAYS THERE BILL ON TIME SHOULD GET A BIG CREDIT ON THERE BILL. WHAT DO THESE PEOPLE THINK THEY CAN LET THERE BILL RACK UP AND THEN NOT PAY IT..IF THAT IS FORGIVEN THEN I KNOW IT WILL BE ANOTHER EXCUSE FOR CILCO TO RAISE RATES...EVERYONE RUNS INTO FINANCIAL TROUBLE BUT MAKE SMALL PAYMENTS..BETTER THEN NOTHING..THAT IS A BUNCH OF BULL..IF THE TABLES WERE TURNED THAT WOMAN WOULD BE FEELING THE SAME AS I DO RIGHT NOT.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 6:02 PM confused wrote ...

I dont understand why we don't have any other utility options, just AmerenCilco. My friend who lives right outside of Bloomington, has 3 options!?!? That's what Cilco needs, a competitor.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 5:44 PM Anonymous wrote ...

Everyone has a story and there are alot of people that are having difficulty paying bills. But how can you rack up $4000.00. Stop complaining and just make a small payment.........

Thursday, Jun 4 at 5:42 PM per. windmills wrote ...

the windmills aren't for us, they are for chicago. Sucks, huh??

Thursday, Jun 4 at 4:40 PM Anonymous wrote ...

I can't speak to the circumstances that lead to a $4000 bill. Cilco is a business, and making a profit is not evil. Those who are calling for a disabled person to get a job have no empathy. Disabled (mental or physical)means just that, work is not normally an option. Everyone must pay their utilities, a payment plan MAY be in order. I hope that those of you who are critical of her disability don't end up disabled, then you may have some understanding.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 4:35 PM mollie wrote ...

Ameren has monopolized customers for years and got by with it why should it change. the gov. sure as hell isn't gonna help us. Where's all this power from these windmills going?

Thursday, Jun 4 at 4:19 PM Ticked Off wrote ...

I turned my thermostat down about 15 degrees and it was still $50 than the month before. When we came back from Florida, we were FREEZING so we cranked up the thermostat to about 75 degrees and the next month our bill was again about $50 more than the previous month! I called to see if it was an estimated reading and they said no, that it was an actual reading - someone came out and read the meter. My house if 5 yrs. old so the meter can't be in that bad of shape. They're crooks!!

Thursday, Jun 4 at 4:12 PM ticked off wrote ...

My family & I went to Florida for 3 weeks in december (during all the ice storms). I turned down the thermostat to 62 degrees...enough that I thought the pipes wouldn't freeze. I was expecting my bill to be MUCH less but guess what, it was $50 MORE than the month before! When I called Cilco, they had the nerve to tell me that because it was so cold, my furnace had to run MORE. What does Cilco tell everyone to save on their bills? Turn your heat down a couple degrees.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 3:50 PM crazy wrote ...

I do know of some people who have a doctors medical note saying they must have power on do to health. Cilco does take that inconsideration but you still have to pay. Sounds like she got a note from doc and didnt bother to ever pay thinking they would not shut her off. Be thankful they have this program but dont take advantage of it pay your bill. I am a single mom of 4 and struggle to pay my bills and feed my kids with no help from the state.You have no choice you have to have power just pay it

Thursday, Jun 4 at 3:22 PM cilco hater wrote ...

i hate the fact that they say they care but ya know they dont care. they give ya a payment plan and when ya cant make the whole payment they still shut ya off . for sure they need comp. t

Thursday, Jun 4 at 3:09 PM Dennis in Peoria wrote ...

While not defending how she ran up such a debt without being disconnected before, telling her to get a job when there are no jobs doesn't help. I can only think that for some months she had to choose between medical care and CILCO. Or maybe she does work, but doesn't make enough for both, so this $4k bill built up over many months. No one really knows, do they?

Thursday, Jun 4 at 3:06 PM Joe wrote ...

There has to be more to this. I could not pay for one month and got a disconnection notice the next month.How do you rack up a $4,000 bill?

Thursday, Jun 4 at 3:03 PM More2story wrote ...

Even if you have a medical condition,with a doctors note your still suppose to to be paying on it.She needs to show that she has payed something every month.People work hard and harder these days to afloat. I don't like paying bills for others. I do give money to our local church for emergency problems.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 2:55 PM sally wrote ...

i am 67 years old and i work 40 hrs a week and i pay my bills. get off your duff get a job.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 2:21 PM Don't do it wrote ...

"do it" If you were in a hospital connected to life support and the hospital finds out that you can't afford the bill, should they pull the plug on you? Do you know how many people die in the state of IL because they have had their utilites shut off? Eldery people, diabled people, all on fixed incomes that do not get the increase in pay that utility companies get in increase of rates. They freeze and boil to death in their own homes because they weren't able to find the money somehow.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 2:06 PM TERRIABLE wrote ...

We need to write our Congress and get the energy rate freeze back. The one Blago vetoed against because he was in COMEDs pocket

Thursday, Jun 4 at 1:50 PM amy wrote ...

Wasn't it just last April that Cilco forgave all bills for people who were disconnected for a $200 fee? That's how it works people who make no attempt to keep their heads above water get a hand out while the rest of defer our payments, juggle the shut off notices and keep plugging along. Since I pay I get nothing.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 1:39 PM More2story wrote ...

Come on,please tell us more of the story.$4000 is alot.Maybe you need to get your meter checked or start putting every thing on power strips,We have done this and our bill went down by $45.00 a month.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 12:40 PM steph wrote ...

not sure how she ran up a balance like that but i cant go a month behind without getting a disconnect notice..and they have NEVER been caring or tried to act concerned somthing can happen and if you try to expalian your situation they just ask how are you going to pay..cilco does not care bout us..it is all about money to them..they probably hate me right now lowest bill this year i havent had to turn on my heat or air and hope i wont for a long time they get enough from me!!!!

Thursday, Jun 4 at 12:33 PM EDD wrote ...

These are trying time's, but $4000 is a lot of power use. Please tell the whole story and then lets see if Cilco is being unfair. I lost my job 7 months ago and have had to go with less to eat to pay my bills and do without medical care, but I will always see my bills are paid. I have not went to get help from any one. I really would like to know the whole story.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 12:10 PM "Billy" wrote ...

To: Scott I'm sorry to hear the predicament you and your girl friend is in. What is really sad is that are state legislatures lets CILCO get away with all this kind of business. Kinda shows you how honest they are and show you who really running the state of Illinois just a bunch of crooks and their cronies. We the people need to get these "IDIOTS" out of office!!!

Thursday, Jun 4 at 12:03 PM tj wrote ...

CILCO are a bunch of bloodsucking vampires. They don't give a **** about whether or not you have any circumstances and they have no intention of "working something out" with their customers. If they shut you off, you have to pay the entire balance...period! Customers need a 2nd and or 3rd utility company to choose from. CILCO CAN KISS MY ***

Thursday, Jun 4 at 12:02 PM Erin wrote ...

I also agree with "do it". I guarantee you if they shut her off, she'll find the money.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 12:01 PM Erin wrote ...

Although I agree that CILCO is not lenient by any means, I also feel that running up a $4,000 bill is ridiculous. She should've tried to get this taken care of before now. And she definately should have to pay it.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 11:30 AM Scott wrote ...

Just a tip, if you are waiting for your power to be turned on..Call and report a outage. They told me on the phone they couldnt send someone out for 24-72 hours to turn power back on. I begged that we had 3 kids, spoiled food and it was cold..SO,I called and reported a outage and they pulled up 15 minutes later..They actually sent someone out when I was at work and they said they couldnt turn it on because my circuit breaker was on. They didnt care it was on when they shut me off

Thursday, Jun 4 at 11:22 AM Scott wrote ...

My GF was turned off due to a $1200 bill yesterday..She was laid off and has 3 young children(5,6,16)..She is on Energy Assistance(LIHEAP) and has been trying to pay and kept in contact the whole time..She tried to set up a payment plan and they told her they needed the whole amount, nothing less. Then shut her off 3 hours later. Sucks we dont have any other option than Ameren(monopoly)Cilco.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 11:05 AM "Billy" wrote ...

Yes I agree that this person surely could of got help or try paying a little at a time. this is one case that I think CILCO as a right to collect but I still feel that CILCO needs competition to stay honest and not have a monopoly on the market!!!

Thursday, Jun 4 at 10:52 AM "Billy" wrote ...

It's hard enough sometimes to pay your bill on time especially when CILCO keeps asking for price hicks. You ever notice that when CILCO turns your power off it's rather quickly but when you do pay your bill they do take their sweet time about turning your power back on sometimes it takes over a day it seems like they want to punish you for having to turn it off. You see it happened to a friend of mine all I can say is that CILCO needs competition to stay honest instead of a monopoly on power!!!

Thursday, Jun 4 at 10:32 AM Gene wrote ...

Has she ever tried to get help with paying her bill. If she is truely in that bad of condition how did she get that far behind seem like power company has been working with her for some time. Get a job and try to pay more than 100.00 a month at that rate will not cover each new month charges, how does she expect to catch up.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 10:15 AM dont blame cilco wrote ...

$4,000 utility bill?! HOW? with a bill this large, it sounds like cilco has been more than accomodating with this lady. cilco has to eventually draw the line somewhere, and here looks like a great spot. from the surface, it looks like another greedy self-centered person taking advantage of a loophole in the system.

Thursday, Jun 4 at 9:58 AM working77 wrote ...

im thinking she would/could defently find the money some way . . if she didnt die before then $4000.00 is alot to be backed up with they shud be somewhat simpathetic i do doubt it tho

Thursday, Jun 4 at 9:49 AM clifford seward wrote ...

the spokesman in this article is trying to seem simpathic, well ameren is not lenint! just last week my friend who is a 41 yo school teacher with outstanding credit, who got busy with school year ending, had her power shut off with no warning over a $58 bill that hadnt been paid soon as realize she paid asap! so i dont think ameren cares about customers just the money! as well theyre customer service reps are very rude an unkind

Thursday, Jun 4 at 9:45 AM ???? wrote ...

Im thinking she hasnt paid for a couple years

Thursday, Jun 4 at 9:45 AM jennifer wrote ...

i worked for a utiltiy comp for 6 years and we shut people off for varoius reasons and they always blamed it on me. Some do really try and others just take advantage. I think if she is paying something each month that is a show of good faith. Spare her this time!

Thursday, Jun 4 at 9:42 AM merlinalexander wrote ...

$4000 - I run two TV's and 4 computers most days in my 4 story house and have never racked up more than $700 dollars a month - average of $320. How did this woman rack up $4000 in unpaid bills? I understand that there may be extenuating circumstances but $4000. How much has she been paying a month?

Thursday, Jun 4 at 9:42 AM ibmonk wrote ...

I am not a AMERENCILCO fan, but I bet there is more to this story than the amount owed. Did the lady ever try to get this adjusted before a disconnect notice was sent? How do you owe $4,000.00 in bills? Did she ever pay anything?

Thursday, Jun 4 at 9:35 AM do it wrote ...

pull the plug. i'm betting she will find the money somehow then.

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