Missouri Department of Natural Resources looks to the future with new State Energy Plan

The most recent state energy plan was published in 2015

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently announced it has started its work on developing the next State Energy Plan. The department estimates the process will take six months to complete.

Guidehouse, the contractor chosen for the new plan, will work with DNR's Division of Energy to conduct economic and power sector modeling, in addition to demand forecasting. They will also develop policy recommendations in conjunction with the new energy roadmap.

“Missouri's energy landscape has changed dramatically over the past 10 years, and state policymakers sit at a crossroads as to how they can shape Missouri's energy resources to benefit Missourians for decades to come,” said Kurt Schaefer, director of DNR.

Missouri's current energy generation portfolio consists of a diverse mix of fossil fuels, nuclear and renewable sources, with significant investments being made in natural gas generation. While massive growth in energy demand driven by data centers and the onshoring of advanced manufacturing certainly poses a new challenge, Schaefer believes the moment also represents a potentially unmissable opportunity for the Show-Me State.

“The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is committed to working with our stakeholders to develop a robust comprehensive State Energy Plan. This plan will offer state and local leaders valuable insights into Missouri's energy landscape that will guide efforts to bolster energy capacity in Missouri,” said Schaefer. “The time is now for Missouri to build the infrastructure necessary to maximize the forecasted economic investments in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and data centers.”

The last State Energy Plan was published in 2015, and DNR anticipates the new roadmap to be ready in September. To learn more about Missouri's energy landscape, please visit dnr.mo.gov/energy.