Substation expansion aims to support reliability in Pike County
Ameren Missouri's Smart Energy Plan working to make the Pike County electric grid more resilient and reliable
Ameren Missouri is investing in Bowling Green by expanding and improving a local substation to support reliability for thousands of residents in the community. The expansion project is part of Ameren Missouri’s Smart Energy Plan, a multi-year effort to invest in reliability by replacing aging equipment, installing smart technology and storm-hardening the electric grid.
As part of their investment in Pike County, Ameren Missouri is adding a second unit to the Pike substation, allowing for the eventual retirement of an older substation in Bowling Green and the elimination of 10 miles of overhead lines in poor condition. These investments aim to reduce the likelihood of equipment-related outages.
Crews work to pull cable at the expanded Pike substation in Bowling Green.
The increased capacity also provides greater flexibility to reroute power during unplanned outages, such as during storms, or for needed maintenance. “This project supports reliability for around 3,200 homes and businesses in Bowling Green,” said Nate Giessmann, regional account executive for Ameren Missouri. “Increased reliability is also a key factor as the community looks to attract new businesses and residents to the area.”
By sourcing materials from in-state suppliers, Smart Energy Plan projects, like this one, can have a positive ripple effect on communities throughout the state. For instance, the new transformers at the Pike substation were manufactured by WEG Transformers USA of Washington, Missouri. The switchgear, another critical substation component, was built by Avail Switchgear Systems of Fulton, Missouri. When it comes to Smart Energy Plan projects, more than 50% of the suppliers used are Missouri-based businesses.
Once the substation project is finished, work will begin on other upgrades in the area, including improvements to the neighboring bulk substation and the removal of obsolete equipment. To learn more about Ameren Missouri's Smart Energy Plan, please visit AmerenMissouri.com/plan.