UNION ELECTRIC RATE INCREASE BEGINS TODAY

Union Electric Co.'s 22,000 natural gas customers in Cape Girardeau, Stoddard and Scott counties will be paying more for natural gas beginning today.

The increase reflects a change in wholesale supplier rates, a company spokesman said.

Under present rates, a typical residential customer using about 23,600 cubic feet of gas in January will pay an additional $3.59, an increase of about 3.1 percent. As a result of the change, the customer will pay $120.63 for the same amount of gas that would have cost $117.04 under the previous rate.

Approximately 60 to 70 percent of a customer's natural gas bill reflects the cost of natural gas from the wholesaler.

Wholesale rates fluctuate several times throughout the year, resulting in small increases or decreases.