Ameren Announces Performance Monitoring Initiative to Further Operational Excellence; New Performance Monitoring Center to Implement SmartSignal's Equipment Performance Improvement Solution

Business Wire, August 22, 2005

CHICAGO -- Ameren (NYSE:AEE) today announced it will deploy SmartSignal's EPI*Center(TM) business intelligence solution throughout its new performance monitoring center. EPI*Center will enable Ameren to monitor the health of its equipment through the use of existing data and real-time analytics. To be deployed across 23 coal-generating units representing more than 9,390 megawatts of power, this initiative will provide Ameren with a strong competitive advantage.

Located near Ameren's St Louis headquarters, the new performance optimization center will enable Ameren to improve equivalent availability and reliability, and safely deliver electricity to benefit both customers and shareholders. With SmartSignal's EPI*Center solution flagging impending performance issues, Ameren can further reduce unplanned downtime and improve planned maintenance.

"We have a strong commitment to our core energy operations," said Bob Powers, VP Technical Services of Ameren. "Operational excellence is at the heart of efficient power generation and we're confident that the implementation of SmartSignal's EPI*Center solution in our new performance management center will enhance productivity, enabling us to maintain high reliability and safety standards for our customers."

SmartSignal EPI*Center continuously inspects key aspects of equipment health to provide early warning of potential problems. When critical equipment fails to perform to expectations, it sends shockwaves throughout an organization and into the supply chain. Looking at equipment from a reliability, availability, efficiency and compliance perspective, SmartSignal's solution enables timely action resulting in increased uptime and reduced operating costs.

"It's proven that SmartSignal can help increase equipment availability while reducing operations and maintenance costs," said Jim Gagnard, President and CEO of SmartSignal. "By implementing SmartSignal, Ameren will further strengthen its industry leadership position and better control expenses to ensure optimum performance."

About Ameren

St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation (NYSE:AEE) is among the nation's largest investor-owned electric and gas utilities, with approximately $17 billion in assets. The largest electric utility in Missouri and the second largest in Illinois, Ameren companies provide energy services to 2.3 million electric and 900,000 natural gas customers throughout its 64,000-square-mile territory. Created by the year-end 1997 merger of Union Electric Company and Central Illinois Public Service Company, the company grew in 2003 with the acquisition of Central Illinois Light Company and again in 2004 with the acquisition of Illinois Power Company. Ameren prides itself on a long, successful tradition of financial strength, cost containment, low rates and highly rated customer service, as well as nine decades of uninterrupted cash dividend payments to stockholders.

About SmartSignal

SmartSignal Corporation is the leader in equipment performance improvement solutions. The EPI*Center(TM) business intelligence solution helps companies gain unprecedented insight into the health of critical business assets. Through continuous, real-time inspection of equipment health and performance, companies are able to increase uptime and throughput while reducing maintenance and operating costs. SmartSignal's clients include industry leaders such as Arizona Public Service, Entergy, Progress Energy and Southwest Airlines. In 2004, SmartSignal was named a finalist for a Platts 2004 Global Energy Award in the "Commercial Technology of the Year" category. In 2003, SmartSignal was named one of The FocalPoint Group's Top 40 North American M2M Innovators and also won the prestigious Chicago Sun-Times Innovation Award. For more information visit: www.smartsignal.com.