Smart Energy Plan to support reliability in Excelsior Springs

Smart switches to support faster outage restoration in Clay County

Thousands of Ameren Missouri customers throughout western Missouri are set to benefit from the completion of several projects aiming to make the energy grid more reliable. Through its Smart Energy Plan, Ameren Missouri is installing or upgrading nearly a dozen smart switch devices in the Excelsior Springs area. These pole-mounted devices are designed to instantly detect a problem on the power line, like a downed tree branch, and automatically reroute power until the issue is resolved. Thanks to this smart technology, customers who previously had to endure hours or days of outages may see their power restored in minutes, even seconds.

Once installed, the new and upgraded smart switches will benefit approximately 4,400 homes and businesses in the area. Additionally, the company strategically placed several of the new smart devices near Excelsior Springs Hospital to support reliability at the health care facility.

“These smart switches are a game changer when it comes to reliability,” says Mike Edwards, regional account executive for Ameren Missouri. “As someone who lives and works in this community, who talks to business owners and neighbors, I understand how important reliability is to the people of Excelsior Springs.”

Since 2019, Ameren Missouri has installed more than 1,500 smart switches throughout the state. In 2024, these devices helped minimize or prevent more than 36,000 outages throughout Ameren Missouri's service territory.

The installation of these devices in the Excelsior Springs-area comes on the heels of a recently completed substation project near Wood Heights. The substation’s aging switchgear was at an increased risk of failing due to age. A new switchgear, manufactured in Missouri by Avail Switchgear Systems, was installed in 2023 as part of the Smart Energy Plan. Much like the smaller smart switches, modern substation switchgear can automatically detect outages and reroute power to help avoid outages. The new equipment is supporting increased reliability for more than 3,000 customers.

To learn more about Ameren Missouri's Smart Energy Plan, please visit AmerenMissouri.com/plan.