Callaway Energy Center	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Nuclear Waste Matters [Abstract]
CALLAWAY ENERGY CENTER	CALLAWAY ENERGY CENTER Under the NWPA, the DOE is responsible for disposing of spent nuclear fuel from the Callaway energy center and other commercial nuclear energy centers. Under the NWPA, Ameren and other utilities that own and operate those energy centers are responsible for paying the disposal costs. The NWPA established the fee that these utilities pay the federal government for disposing of the spent nuclear fuel at one mill, or one-tenth of one cent, for each kilowatthour generated by those plants and sold. The NWPA also requires the DOE to review the nuclear waste fee against the cost of the nuclear waste disposal program and to propose to the United States Congress any fee adjustment necessary to offset the costs of the program. As required by the NWPA, Ameren Missouri and other utilities have entered into standard contracts with the federal government. The government, represented by the DOE, is responsible for implementing these provisions of the NWPA. Consistent with the NWPA and its standard contract, Ameren Missouri collects one mill from its electric customers for each kilowatthour of electricity that it generates and sells from its Callaway energy center. Although both the NWPA and the standard contract stated that the federal government would begin to dispose of spent nuclear fuel by 1998, the federal government is not meeting its disposal obligation. Ameren Missouri has sufficient installed capacity at the Callaway energy center to store its spent nuclear fuel generated through 2020, and it has the capability for additional storage capacity for spent nuclear fuel generated through the end of the energy center’s current licensed life. The DOE's delay in carrying out its obligation to dispose of spent nuclear fuel from the Callaway energy center is not expected to adversely affect the continued operations of the energy center. In January 2009, the federal government announced that a spent nuclear fuel repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada was unworkable. The federal government took steps to terminate the Yucca Mountain program, while acknowledging its continuing obligation to dispose of utilities’ spent nuclear fuel. In January 2013, the DOE issued its plan for the management and disposal of spent nuclear fuel. The DOE's plan calls for a pilot interim storage facility to begin operation with an initial focus on accepting spent nuclear fuel from shutdown reactor sites by 2021. By 2025, a larger interim storage facility would be available, co-located with the pilot facility. The plan also proposes to site a permanent geological repository by 2026, to characterize the site and to design and to license the repository by 2042, and to begin operation by 2048. In view of the federal government's efforts to terminate the Yucca Mountain program, the Nuclear Energy Institute, a number of individual utilities, and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners sued the DOE in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, seeking the suspension of the one mill nuclear waste fee, alleging that the DOE failed to undertake an appropriate fee adequacy review reflecting the current unsettled state of the nuclear waste program. In a June 2012 decision, the court ruled that DOE's fee adequacy review was legally inadequate and remanded the matter to the DOE. Although the court ruled it has the power to direct the DOE to suspend the fee, the court decided that it was premature to do so. Instead, the court ordered the DOE to provide within six months a revised assessment of the amount that should be collected. In January 2013, the DOE issued the revised assessment required by the court. The DOE determined that “neither insufficient nor excess revenues are being collected,” and it proposed no adjustment to the one mill nuclear waste fee. In November 2013, the court rejected the DOE's revised assessment and ordered the DOE to submit a proposal to the United States Congress to reduce the fee to zero. The DOE filed for rehearing, however there is no deadline for the court to act. In January 2014, the DOE, pursuant to the court's November 2013 order, submitted to Congress a proposal to reduce the fee to zero. As a result of the DOE's failure to begin to dispose of the utilities' spent nuclear fuel and fulfill its contractual obligations, Ameren Missouri and other nuclear energy center owners have also sued the DOE to recover costs incurred for ongoing storage of their spent fuel. Ameren Missouri filed a breach of contract lawsuit to recover costs that it incurred through 2009. It sought reimbursement for the cost of reracking the Callaway energy center’s spent fuel pool, as well as certain NRC fees, and Missouri ad valorem taxes that Ameren Missouri would not have incurred had the DOE performed its contractual obligations. In June 2011, the parties reached a settlement agreement that included a payment to Ameren Missouri of $11 million for spent fuel storage and related costs through 2010. In addition, the settlement agreement provides for annual recovery of additional spent fuel storage and related costs incurred from 2011 through 2013 with the ability to extend the recovery period as mutually agreed to by the parties. The parties have agreed in principle to extend the recovery period through 2016. As a result of the settlement agreement, Ameren Missouri recorded a pretax reduction of $2 million and $2 million to its “Operating Expenses – Depreciation and amortization” and “Operating Expenses – Other operations and maintenance” expense line items, respectively, on its statement of income for the year ended December 31, 2011. In 2012, Ameren Missouri received a 2011 cost reimbursement of $1 million and reduced its "Property and plant, net" assets on its balance sheet by that amount. In 2013, Ameren Missouri received a 2012 cost reimbursement of $6 million and reduced its "Property and plant, net" assets on its balance sheet by that amount. In March 2014, Ameren Missouri plans to submit approximately $15 million of 2013 costs to the DOE for reimbursement pursuant to the settlement agreement. Ameren Missouri reduced its "Property and plant, net" assets by this amount with an offset to "Miscellaneous accounts and notes receivable" on its balance sheet as of December 31, 2013. Included in these reimbursements are costs related to a dry spent fuel storage facility Ameren Missouri is constructing at its Callaway energy center. Ameren Missouri intends to begin transferring spent fuel assemblies to this facility in 2015. Until the facility is completed, Ameren Missouri will, in accordance with the settlement agreement, apply for reimbursement from the DOE for the cost to construct the dry spent fuel storage facility along with related allowable costs. In December 2011, Ameren Missouri submitted a license extension application to the NRC to extend its Callaway energy center's operating license from 2024 to 2044. There is no deadline by which the NRC must act on this application. Among the rules that the NRC has historically relied upon in approving license extensions are rules dealing with the storage of spent nuclear fuel at the reactor site and with the NRC's confidence that permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel will be available when needed. In a June 2012 decision, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated these rules and remanded the case to the NRC, holding that the NRC's obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act required a more thorough environmental analysis in support of the NRC's waste confidence decision. In June 2012, a number of groups petitioned the NRC to suspend final licensing decisions in certain NRC licensing proceedings, including the Callaway license extension, until the NRC completed its proceedings on the vacated rules. In August 2012, the NRC stated that it would not issue licenses dependent on the vacated rules until it appropriately addressed the court's remand. In September 2012, the NRC directed its staff to issue, within two years, a generic environmental impact statement and a final rule to address the court's ruling. The NRC also stated that a site-specific analysis of these issues could be conducted in rare circumstances. If the Callaway energy center's license is extended, additional spent fuel storage will be required. Electric utility rates charged to customers provide for the recovery of the Callaway energy center's decommissioning costs, which include decontamination, dismantling, and site restoration costs, over an assumed 40-year life of the nuclear center, ending with the expiration of the energy center's current operating license in 2024. It is assumed that the Callaway energy center site will be decommissioned through the immediate dismantlement method and removed from service. Ameren and Ameren Missouri have recorded an ARO for the Callaway energy center decommissioning costs at fair value, which represents the present value of estimated future cash outflows. Decommissioning costs are included in the costs of service used to establish electric rates for Ameren Missouri's customers. These costs amounted to $7 million in each of the years 2013, 2012, and 2011. Every three years, the MoPSC requires Ameren Missouri to file an updated cost study and funding analysis for decommissioning its Callaway energy center. Electric rates may be adjusted at such times to reflect changed estimates. The last cost study and funding analysis were filed with the MoPSC in September 2011. In October 2012, the MoPSC issued an order approving the stipulation and agreement between Ameren Missouri and the MoPSC staff that maintained the current rate of deposits to the trust fund and the rate of return assumptions used in the analysis. If Ameren Missouri's operating license extension application is approved by the NRC, a revised funding analysis will be prepared, and the rates charged to customers will be adjusted accordingly to reflect the operating license extension at the time the next triennial cost study and funding analysis is approved by the MoPSC. Amounts collected from customers are deposited in an external trust fund to provide for the Callaway energy center's decommissioning. If the assumed return on trust assets is not earned, we believe that it is probable that any such earnings deficiency will be recovered in rates. The fair value of the nuclear decommissioning trust fund for Ameren Missouri's Callaway energy center is reported as "Nuclear decommissioning trust fund" in Ameren's and Ameren Missouri's balance sheets. This amount is legally restricted and may be used only to fund the costs of nuclear decommissioning. Changes in the fair value of the trust fund are recorded as an increase or decrease to the nuclear decommissioning trust fund, with an offsetting adjustment to the related regulatory liability. See Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters and Note 9 – Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Fund Investments for additional information related to the Callaway energy center.

CALLAWAY ENERGY CENTER

Under the NWPA, the DOE is responsible for disposing of spent nuclear fuel from the Callaway energy center and other commercial nuclear energy centers. Under the NWPA, Ameren and other utilities that own and operate those energy centers are responsible for paying the disposal costs. The NWPA established the fee that these utilities pay the federal government for disposing of the spent nuclear fuel at one mill, or one-tenth of one cent, for each kilowatthour generated by those plants and sold. The NWPA also requires the DOE to review the nuclear waste fee against the cost of the nuclear waste disposal program and to propose to the United States Congress any fee adjustment necessary to offset the costs of the program. As required by the NWPA, Ameren Missouri and other utilities have entered into standard contracts with the federal government. The government, represented by the DOE, is responsible for implementing these provisions of the NWPA. Consistent with the NWPA and its standard contract, Ameren Missouri collects one mill from its electric customers for each kilowatthour of electricity that it generates and sells from its Callaway energy center.

Although both the NWPA and the standard contract stated that the federal government would begin to dispose of spent nuclear fuel by 1998, the federal government is not meeting its disposal obligation. Ameren Missouri has sufficient installed capacity at the Callaway energy center to store its spent nuclear fuel generated through 2020, and it has the capability for additional storage capacity for spent nuclear fuel generated through the end of the energy center’s current licensed life. The DOE's delay in carrying out its obligation to dispose of spent nuclear fuel from the Callaway energy center is not expected to adversely affect the continued operations of the energy center.

In January 2009, the federal government announced that a spent nuclear fuel repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada was unworkable. The federal government took steps to terminate the Yucca Mountain program, while acknowledging its continuing obligation to dispose of utilities’ spent nuclear fuel. In January 2013, the DOE issued its plan for the management and disposal of spent nuclear fuel. The DOE's plan calls for a pilot interim storage facility to begin operation with an initial focus on accepting spent nuclear fuel from shutdown reactor sites by 2021. By 2025, a larger interim storage facility would be available, co-located with the pilot facility. The plan also proposes to site a permanent geological repository by 2026, to characterize the site and to design and to license the repository by 2042, and to begin operation by 2048.

In view of the federal government's efforts to terminate the Yucca Mountain program, the Nuclear Energy Institute, a number of individual utilities, and the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners sued the DOE in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, seeking the suspension of the one mill nuclear waste fee, alleging that the DOE failed to undertake an appropriate fee adequacy review reflecting the current unsettled state of the nuclear waste program. In a June 2012 decision, the court ruled that DOE's fee adequacy review was legally inadequate and remanded the matter to the DOE. Although the court ruled it has the power to direct the DOE to suspend the fee, the court decided that it was premature to do so. Instead, the court ordered the DOE to provide within six months a revised assessment of the amount that should be collected. In January 2013, the DOE issued the revised assessment required by the court. The DOE determined that “neither insufficient nor excess revenues are being collected,” and it proposed no adjustment to the one mill nuclear waste fee. In November 2013, the court rejected the DOE's revised assessment and ordered the DOE to submit a proposal to the United States Congress to reduce the fee to zero. The DOE filed for rehearing, however there is no deadline for the court to act. In January 2014, the DOE, pursuant to the court's November 2013 order, submitted to Congress a proposal to reduce the fee to zero.

As a result of the DOE's failure to begin to dispose of the utilities' spent nuclear fuel and fulfill its contractual obligations, Ameren Missouri and other nuclear energy center owners have also sued the DOE to recover costs incurred for ongoing storage of their spent fuel. Ameren Missouri filed a breach of contract lawsuit to recover costs that it incurred through 2009. It sought reimbursement for the cost of reracking the Callaway energy center’s spent fuel pool, as well as certain NRC fees, and Missouri ad valorem taxes that Ameren Missouri would not have incurred had the DOE performed its contractual obligations. In June 2011, the parties reached a settlement agreement that included a payment to Ameren Missouri of $11 million for spent fuel storage and related costs through 2010. In addition, the settlement agreement provides for annual recovery of additional spent fuel storage and related costs incurred from 2011 through 2013 with the ability to extend the recovery period as mutually agreed to by the parties. The parties have agreed in principle to extend the recovery period through 2016. As a result of the settlement agreement, Ameren Missouri recorded a pretax reduction of $2 million and $2 million to its “Operating Expenses – Depreciation and amortization” and “Operating Expenses – Other operations and maintenance” expense line items, respectively, on its statement of income for the year ended December 31, 2011. In 2012, Ameren Missouri received a 2011 cost reimbursement of $1 million and reduced its "Property and plant, net" assets on its balance sheet by that amount. In 2013, Ameren Missouri received a 2012 cost reimbursement of $6 million and reduced its "Property and plant, net" assets on its balance sheet by that amount. In March 2014, Ameren Missouri plans to submit approximately $15 million of 2013 costs to the DOE for reimbursement pursuant to the settlement agreement. Ameren Missouri reduced its "Property and plant, net" assets by this amount with an offset to "Miscellaneous accounts and notes receivable" on its balance sheet as of December 31, 2013. Included in these reimbursements are costs related to a dry spent fuel storage facility Ameren Missouri is constructing at its Callaway energy center. Ameren Missouri intends to begin transferring spent fuel assemblies to this facility in 2015. Until the facility is completed, Ameren Missouri will, in accordance with the settlement agreement, apply for reimbursement from the DOE for the cost to construct the dry spent fuel storage facility along with related allowable costs.

In December 2011, Ameren Missouri submitted a license extension application to the NRC to extend its Callaway energy center's operating license from 2024 to 2044. There is no deadline by which the NRC must act on this application. Among the rules that the NRC has historically relied upon in approving license extensions are rules dealing with the storage of spent nuclear fuel at the reactor site and with the NRC's confidence that permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel will be available when needed. In a June 2012 decision, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit vacated these rules and remanded the case to the NRC, holding that the NRC's obligations under the National Environmental Policy Act required a more thorough environmental analysis in support of the NRC's waste confidence decision. In June 2012, a number of groups petitioned the NRC to suspend final licensing decisions in certain NRC licensing proceedings, including the Callaway license extension, until the NRC completed its proceedings on the vacated rules. In August 2012, the NRC stated that it would not issue licenses dependent on the vacated rules until it appropriately addressed the court's remand. In September 2012, the NRC directed its staff to issue, within two years, a generic environmental impact statement and a final rule to address the court's ruling. The NRC also stated that a site-specific analysis of these issues could be conducted in rare circumstances. If the Callaway energy center's license is extended, additional spent fuel storage will be required.

Electric utility rates charged to customers provide for the recovery of the Callaway energy center's decommissioning costs, which include decontamination, dismantling, and site restoration costs, over an assumed 40-year life of the nuclear center, ending with the expiration of the energy center's current operating license in 2024. It is assumed that the Callaway energy center site will be decommissioned through the immediate dismantlement method and removed from service. Ameren and Ameren Missouri have recorded an ARO for the Callaway energy center decommissioning costs at fair value, which represents the present value of estimated future cash outflows. Decommissioning costs are included in the costs of service used to establish electric rates for Ameren Missouri's customers. These costs amounted to $7 million in each of the years 2013, 2012, and 2011. Every three years, the MoPSC requires Ameren Missouri to file an updated cost study and funding analysis for decommissioning its Callaway energy center. Electric rates may be adjusted at such times to reflect changed estimates. The last cost study and funding analysis were filed with the MoPSC in September 2011. In October 2012, the MoPSC issued an order approving the stipulation and agreement between Ameren Missouri and the MoPSC staff that maintained the current rate of deposits to the trust fund and the rate of return assumptions used in the analysis. If Ameren Missouri's operating license extension application is approved by the NRC, a revised funding analysis will be prepared, and the rates charged to customers will be adjusted accordingly to reflect the operating license extension at the time the next triennial cost study and funding analysis is approved by the MoPSC. Amounts collected from customers are deposited in an external trust fund to provide for the Callaway energy center's decommissioning. If the assumed return on trust assets is not earned, we believe that it is probable that any such earnings deficiency will be recovered in rates. The fair value of the nuclear decommissioning trust fund for Ameren Missouri's Callaway energy center is reported as "Nuclear decommissioning trust fund" in Ameren's and Ameren Missouri's balance sheets. This amount is legally restricted and may be used only to fund the costs of nuclear decommissioning. Changes in the fair value of the trust fund are recorded as an increase or decrease to the nuclear decommissioning trust fund, with an offsetting adjustment to the related regulatory liability.

See Note 2 – Rate and Regulatory Matters and Note 9 – Nuclear Decommissioning Trust Fund Investments for additional information related to the Callaway energy center.