SPRINGFIELD - Ameren has scrapped its request to charge Illinois customers for some of its consultant expenses, including more than $560 for St. Louis Cardinals tickets and hotel costs for days they weren't working.

The request by the Missouri-based utility was just a small part of an ongoing case where Ameren has asked to raise its charges for the delivery of electricity and natural gas in order to cover rising costs.

Companies such as Ameren and ComEd submit their expenses to the Illinois Commerce Commission in order to justify their proposals to charge consumers more on their power or natural gas bills.

Testimony in both Ameren and ComEd's most recent requests has wrapped up, and decisions are expected in the coming months.

This month, a commission staff member testified that she didn't think Ameren should get to pass costs such as baseball tickets onto customers, according to records.

Ameren spokesman Leigh Morris said the company agrees with that opinion and has withdrawn those costs from the case.

"We fully agree with the staff and appreciate that they brought these items to our attention," Morris said.

But Citizens Utility Board Director David Kolata said the "questionable" request to be reimbursed for baseball tickets is one reason consumers should question future requests to raise charges.

"I think it's another reason consumers have to be skeptical that Ameren needs another rate hike," Kolata said.

For electricity, Ameren originally asked the commission to charge 8.5 percent more to AmerenIP customers, 4.4 percent for AmerenCIPS and 2.8 percent for AmerenCILCO. Natural gas bills for many would also go up.

ComEd asked for a power increase of about 8 percent.

Consumer groups have fought the proposed rate hikes. Kolata's group has recommended that Ameren can be awarded a maximum of about a quarter of its requested increases.

Their similar recommendation in the case of ComEd is for a maximum of about a tenth of its rate-hike request.

The Commerce Commission has the final say on how much more each can charge, and a staff recommendation could come in July, with a final decision in September, a commission spokeswoman said.