Union Electric Co. v. Illinois Commerce Commission

These consolidated cases involve the validity of rates established for two public utilities by the Illinois Commerce Commission. The primary issue concerns the elements used by the Commerce Commission in establishing the rate base of each utility. The order of the Commission in each case rejected the “fair value” concept as the appropriate method of determining the rate base and instead computed the rate base by applying the “original cost” method. The circuit court of Jersey County in cause No. 51455, involving Union Electric Company, and the circuit court of Sangamon County in cause No.…