Ameren Illinois Powers One of the Largest Electric School Bus Deployments in State with East St. Louis Launch

25 Electric Buses to Serve District 189 with Support from Ameren Illinois, Highland Electric Fleets, and U.S. EPA Clean School Bus Program

EAST ST. LOUIS (July 2025) - Ameren Illinois, in partnership with East St. Louis School District 189, Highland Electric Fleets, North American Central School Bus and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Clean School Bus Program, celebrated the official launch of 25 new electric school buses - one of the largest such deployments in Ameren Illinois' service territory.

"Ameren Illinois is committed to making it easier for residents and businesses to embrace electric technology as a means to lower energy costs and reduce environmental impacts, said Kristol Simms, Vice President of Business, Community and Economic Development for Ameren Illinois. "Implementation of programs outlined in our beneficial electrification plan supports the state's goal of having one million EVs on the road by 2030."

The new fleet, which will serve students across District 189, marks a bold step toward a cleaner and healthier future for the region. For Patrick Smith, Sr., Ameren Illinois' Senior Vice President of Operations & Technical Services and a proud East St. Louis native, the milestone is both professional and deeply personal.

"These streets, these schools, these buses - they shaped me," said Smith during remarks at the event. "And now, we're shaping what comes next. This isn't just about new buses. It's about cleaner air for our children, quiet mornings for our neighborhoods, and real investment in communities that deserve it."

To support the transition, Ameren Illinois is delivering nearly 1 megawatt of new electric service to the school district's bus depot in Caseyville, ensuring every charger is ready before the 2025-2026 school year. Through the company's Beneficial Electrification Plan, Ameren Illinois is also:

• Covering 100% of infrastructure costs
• Providing up to $25,000 per charger - totaling up to $625,000 in incentives
• Supporting fleet assessments, submetering, managed charging

The initiative is a key milestone in Ameren Illinois' Beneficial Electrification Plan, mandated by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), and reflects the company's commitment to building a cleaner, more equitable energy future.

The effort also advances the company's Market Development Initiative (MDI), a first-of-its-kind model designed to ensure that the clean energy transition reaches all communities. Since launching, MDI has:

• Reached over 490,000 customers
• Supported 480 jobseekers, 277 scholarships, and 108 paid internships
• Partnered with 24 community-based organizations

Since 2022, the Ameren Illinois Energy Efficiency Program has conducted 15 assessments of public schools in the East St. Louis area.

The energy efficiency program has delivered the following results, a portion of which are attributed to the assessments:

• Delivered nearly 3,000 energy kits to homes, including many in East St. Louis
• 3,369 energy efficiency measures installed in East St. Louis School District since 2022
• 43 projects saving 1,071,000 kWh and 25,991 therms
• $485,867 in incentives provided

"These aren't just numbers - they're lives changed," Smith said. "And this investment in electric school buses? This one is personal. It's a symbol of what we can accomplish when utilities and communities come together."

With this launch, East St. Louis becomes a beacon for how infrastructure can be leveraged as a tool for inclusion, health, and opportunity. Ameren Illinois remains committed to helping communities across its service territory build a cleaner, more resilient future - one electric bus at a time.

About Ameren Illinois
Ameren Illinois delivers energy to 1.2 million electric and more than 800,000 natural gas customers throughout central and southern Illinois. Our service territory covers more than 1,200 communities and 43,700 square miles and our mission is to power the quality of life. For more information, visit AmerenIllinois.com. Follow us on Twitter @AmerenIllinois and Facebook.