Smart Substation Supports Reliability in Jefferson County

Smart Energy Plan upgrades benefit more than 4,500 customers in the area

One of Ameren Missouri’s newest substations is bringing more reliable service to the people of eastern Jefferson County. The original Horine substation served parts of Pevely and Herculaneum for more than 50 years. Since it was first built in the 1970s, the population in the area has more than doubled. New businesses have sprung up along Interstate 55, and new subdivisions dot the wooded, rolling hills near Joachim Creek.

Thanks to Ameren Missouri’s Smart Energy Plan, this aging infrastructure has been replaced with a new, higher-capacity substation equipped with smart technology. “This substation has more automation capabilities than the older equipment,” said Landy Wince, senior director of Regional Operations for Ameren Missouri. “These upgrades automatically detect problems and reroute power, reducing outages from hours to minutes, even seconds. It not only meets the existing energy demands of the area but is designed to handle future growth as well."

The new substation includes two transformers and switchgears equipped with smart technology.

Following the new substation going into service at the end of last year, crews began working on a new feeder line designed to serve the community's growing commercial and residential needs. Together, the new feeder line and substation create a more reliable and resilient electrical grid for the area's residents and businesses.

The new substation represents a $6.5 million investment, supporting more than 4,500 customers in the community. Not only do these upgrades benefit local businesses and neighborhoods, but they also power the state's economic engine. The switchgears used to build the new substation were designed and manufactured by Avail Switchgear Systems of Fulton, Missouri. These new switchgears are another example of how Ameren Missouri's Smart Energy Plan is using local and in-state suppliers to upgrade the state's electrical grid.

The Smart Energy Plan was enabled by the Missouri Legislature's passage of Senate Bill 564 in 2018 and approved for extension and expansion by the General Assembly in 2022. Through the Smart Energy Plan, Ameren is working to upgrade and modernize the electrical grid, while also improving reliability throughout its service territory.