The death of a St. Ann woman whose electricity had been disconnected is a warning sign that utility shutoffs and price hikes can be dangerous, especially in extreme temperatures like the ongoing heat wave, consumer advocates say.
When she was found dead in her apartment Monday, Shauna Thomas’ apartment had been without power and air conditioning for almost two weeks, St. Ann police said. Heat could be a factor in her death, police say, and an autopsy is planned.
The 55-year-old already had underlying medical conditions. At the time she was found, temperatures outside had reached 96.
, Thomas was one of 120,000 customers who, since March 2024, have had their power disconnected by Ameren, which supplies most of Missouri and the ӣƵ region. Last month, one in every 156 households serviced by Ameren were shut off.
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In the meantime, Ameren has continued to raise costs. Regulators gave the greenlight to a 12.5% rate increase, which went into effect in April.
“Ameren has been relentlessly disconnecting households,” said Sandra Padgett, the executive directory of the Consumers Council of Missouri. “People are feeling the pressure of rising utility costs.”
In March, Gov. Mike Kehoe signed sweeping legislation that experts say could raise monthly utility costs by more than $1,100 annually. Then in April, state regulators approved Ameren's plan to boost prices for 1.2 million households. The increase went into effect this month.
“Our fear is that, with the recent changes in Missouri law, that these electric rate increases are going to be happening at a rate that might outpace inflation,” Consumers Council lawyer John Coffman told the Post-Dispatch at the time.
Ameren, like other utility companies, typically seeks to raise prices every two or three years, Padgett said. The higher that prices go, though, the harder it is for poorer customers to afford their monthly electric bill.
“Ameren, through its practice of continuing to increase costs for tens of thousands of people, is only increasing the possibility of death,” Padgett said.
In the midst of heat waves in Missouri, utility companies like Ameren are barred from disconnecting customers. But this “hot weather law” only prevents shut offs within 24 hours of temperatures rising above 95 degrees.
In April, Kehoe signed that would extend that period to 72 hours, but the law won’t take effect until August.
On June 11, the day Thomas’ power was disconnected, temperatures in St. Ann . In the following days before her death, temperatures rose as high as 96 degrees, with the heat index making it feel hotter — after her power had already been off for nearly two weeks.
Ameren’s communications department said via email Wednesday that “disconnections are an absolute last resort,” and customers are contacted three times before their power is shut off for nonpayment.
A “vast majority” are reconnected within 30 days after a disconnect, the statement said.
Ameren does offer some payment breaks in the case of extreme weather or inability to pay, . In summer, during times of extreme heat, customers can apply to see if they qualify for breaks.
Still, even with available breaks, Padgett, the consumer advocate, said a summer-long moratorium on utility payments is the best way to save people from disconnections — and the heat.
“As costs continue to go up, it’s the responsibility of everyone to make sure people who can’t afford utilities are given they assistance they need,” she said.
Editor's note: State regulators approved Ameren's request to increase prices in April, and they went into effect this month.
Jason Chrapek is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology at Purdue University. In this video, he explains how you can exercise safely during the hot summer months.
