Ameren Missouri Smart Energy Plan in High Gear
Approximately one year ago, Missouri lawmakers passed comprehensive energy legislation to make Missouri's energy grid smarter, cleaner and more reliable, while keeping rates stable and predictable for families and businesses.
The new law, Senate Bill 564, was signed by the Governor in early June 2018 and had the support of customers, voters, businesses, unions and a bipartisan majority of more than 85% of the Missouri General Assembly. In August 2018, Ameren Missouri introduced its Smart Energy Plan that outlines how the company will implement provisions of the new energy policy.
Highlights of the plan include:
A six percent rate cut that took effect on Aug. 1, 2018; a rate freeze until April 2020 and a 2.85% annual rate cap
$5.3 billion in capital investments over the next five years, including $1 billion in energy grid projects
2,000+ electric infrastructure improvement projects
70+ new or upgraded substations to increase energy service reliability and serve more customers through a streamlined network that is more cost-effective, efficient and leaves a smaller environmental footprint
400+ miles of new underground cable and equipment to create a more efficient and reliable underground energy delivery system that better serves customers
12,000 new utility poles for storm hardening; many fortified with composite materials to better withstand severe weather
800,000+ smart electric meters through 2023 to give customers more insight and control of energy options and costs
$28 million in solar rebates for customers in 2019
$14+ million investment in company-owned solar generation by 2023
Upgrades across the state will improve customer service reliability for decades to come. They include new smart, automated equipment and digital communication networks that will more rapidly detect and isolate outages, re-route power during an outage and speed power restoration. Stronger, more resilient utility poles and lines will harden the system against severe weather. New substations will reduce or eliminate outages and minimize maintenance repairs.
Work is underway on several Ameren Missouri Smart Energy Plan projects. Some projects will be completed this year, with more than 2,000 projects to be completed by the end of 2023.
Project highlights include:
Jefferson City
Downtown Jefferson City, $1.2 million smart grid technology project, 2019 start
Fairgrounds, $250,000 substation project, 2019 start
Northwest Missouri
Lawson, $727,000 in conductor and cable upgrades, 2019 start
Lawson, $240,000 project costs, digital communication network upgrades, 2021 start
Central Missouri - Audrain & Cooper County – Mexico & Boonville
Vandalia, $2.2 million, new substation, 2021 start
Overton, $3.3 million substation upgrade, 2019 start
Tisdale, $318,000 cable upgrade, 2019 start
Northeast Missouri
Kirksville, $8.7 million Brookfield substation, 2020 start
Lake of the Ozarks Versailles, $147,000 substation and digital communication network, 2021 start
Mt. Carmel, $297,000 s digital network upgrades, 2021 start
Southeast Missouri
Cape Rock, $10.9 million substation and new overhead lines, 2020 start
Combined $19 million solar and battery storage projects
Mid-Missouri – Callaway County
Holts Summit, $320,000 substation upgrade, 2023 start
New Bloomfield, $315,000 substation upgrade, 2020 start
St. Louis Region
North County, $28 million for the Pershall substation and self-healing technologies, 2020 start
West County, $7.1 million Ballas substation and storm hardening equipment, 2019 start
Warson, $1.9 million for smart technology and storm hardening equipment, 2019 start
Conway, $3.1 million for system hardening, 2019 start
Learn more about the Smart Energy Plan at AmerenMissouri.com/SmartEnergyPlan.