Power Smart Pricing is an hourly electricity pricing program for residential customers served by Ameren Illinois. The price you pay for electricity will vary hour by hour based on actual market prices. Power Smart Pricing uses “day-ahead” prices, meaning the price for each hour of the day is set the night before. Your bill is calculated using the hourly, day-ahead market prices and your corresponding hourly usage. If you are able to shift your electric usage to different times of the day you can take advantage of lower priced hours. You can manage your electricity costs by using energy wisely during hours when prices are higher. Power Smart Pricing could be a good option if you spend more than $35 per month on electricity or use more than 350 kWh per month. Decide if hourly pricing is right for you by exploring hourly prices and reading through our FAQs and Program Guide. Our dedicated program specialists can also help answer your questions over the phone at 1-877-655-6028. Enrolling is easy. You can enroll in the Power Smart Pricing program online or over the phone. When enrolling by phone please call 1-877-655-6028, Monday-Friday, 8AM-5PM. Manage your electricity costs on the Power Smart Pricing program by shifting some of your electricity use from higher priced hours to lower-priced, off-peak hours. Electricity prices typically fluctuate most during the summer months, driven in large part by demand for air conditioning. Prices are usually highest during the late afternoon and tend to peak between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Higher overall prices tend to occur on days when the weather is particularly hot. Prices are generally lower on weekends and holidays and on days when the weather is cool. You can manage your costs by keeping these price patterns in mind and shifting electricity usage accordingly.