Wind turbines bring clean energy, jobs, tax benefits to NE Missouri

The nearly 500-foot-tall wind turbines (including the length of the blades) make for an impressive sight as motorists drive north of Kirksville on Highway 63. Looking to the east of the highway, near Queen City, MO, one can see some of the 175 wind turbines that Ameren Missouri operates as the High Prairie Renewable Energy Center.

Since Ameren Missouri acquired the 400 megawatt (MW) wind farm in late 2020, it has been providing customers more clean energy than ever before. The wind turbines can produce enough energy to power 120,000 homes.

Recently, a tour of the largest wind facility in the state was held for area media and local officials to get an up-close look and to learn about the clean energy generating facility, which sits in both Adair and Schuyler counties and covers more than 60,000 acres.

"This is the largest step we have taken so far toward meeting our net-zero carbon goal by 2050," said Ajay Arora, chief renewable development officer at Ameren Missouri. "We know this technology works, it's reliable and affordable, the communities are supportive as they see growth and development. It's a really good project for us to showcase."

Ameren Missouri has invested approximately $1.1 billion to purchase the High Prairie Renewable Energy Center and another wind facility in Atchison County, which is 75% of the size of High Prairie. Combined, the two new wind generation facilities produce 700 MW of electricity, which puts Ameren Missouri well on its way toward meeting its goal of adding 5,400 MW of clean energy generation by 2040. High Prairie and Atchison build on an already solid base of Ameren Missouri’s clean energy resources including nuclear, hydro, and solar energy.

“This is just the beginning, as Ameren Missouri lays the foundation for a transformational advancement toward more renewable wind and solar generation in the coming years, cutting carbon emissions and driving job creation and economic growth,” said Marty Lyons, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri. “We are committed to clean energy."

The giant wind turbines are not fixed in static positions. They are built with smart technology that allows each turbine to measure the wind direction, speed, and outdoor temperature. These instruments and controls allow the turbines to turn into the blowing wind to capture the greatest amount of energy and convert it into electricity. A network of underground cables connects the turbines to a large substation, which then puts the power on the grid. The wind turbines are also "winterized" to allow them to operate in very cold temperatures, which kept them working during the extreme cold spell much of the nation experienced in February.

"All of our customers, no matter where they live, are benefitting from additional clean energy on the grid as a result of this acquisition," said Arora. "These turbines use some of the latest technology that harnesses more wind at an affordable price. It's also very gratifying to see this project built in our state, where families will receive a host of economic benefits for years to come."

“It's exciting to see how northeast Missouri is making a major contribution to providing cleaner energy for the entire state,” said Carolyn Chrisman, executive director of Kirksville Regional Economic Development (K-REDI). “Besides providing sustainable energy, it is helping to grow the economy of our region from not only construction jobs, but ongoing operations that will provide long-term good-paying jobs for many years to come!”

Chrisman also said that there are economic benefits from High Prairie through taxes and land lease payments that are made. These payments are benefitting local landowners and area school districts. She said the ongoing construction of High Prairie throughout 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, was beneficial for Kirksville and the region. She said workers continued to stay in hotels and eat at local restaurants, which was very helpful to the economy of northeast Missouri.

With safety as a value at Ameren, all COVID-19 safety protocols were strictly maintained throughout the project.