SPRINGFIELD — The utility watchdog group Citizens Utility Board is encouraging people to sign an online petition asking federal regulators to order refunds for Ameren Illinois customers.

CUB is pushing the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to order refunds for electric customers in southern and central Illinois and is encouraging people to sign an online petition.

Refunds would stem from higher electricity rates, which were deemed not just and reasonable, for customers who receive their electricity through Ameren Illinois suppliers.

Last month FERC ordered a revision of Midcontinent Independent System Operator capacity auction provisions that led to downstate electric customers paying more than 42 times higher wholesale prices for electricity supply compared with other MISO territories.

Also in its order last month, FERC said that if a refund was ordered, the effective date would be May 28, 2015, the date of when the Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan filed its complaint.

Rates derived from the capacity auction did not apply to customers who receive electricity from an alternate supplier, either through municipal electrical aggregation programs or through individual fixed rate contracts.

Ameren Illinois only distributes electrical power, and passes on the cost of electricity supply to its customers without any markup. Ameren was quick to object to the results of the capacity auction and the electric rate hike and called for changes to the auction process.