Smart Energy Plan project enhances reliability in Creve Coeur area

Storm hardening upgrades to benefit 2,500 customers

Ameren Missouri announces it is nearing completion of a critical storm hardening project in St. Louis County. As a part of the project, crews have been upgrading several miles of overhead power lines to improve reliability for 2,500 customers in and around the city of Creve Coeur.

Crews work to make upgrades to the energy grid in St. Louis County.

The upgrades to the area's energy grid include removing aging wooden power poles, some of which were more than 50 years old, and replacing them with newer wooden poles and stronger composite poles. These upgrades are designed to greatly reduce the risk of cascading damage during storms, which in turn speeds restoration when damage does occur. Additionally, smaller components, such as cross arms on power poles, are also being upgraded to composite materials to further improve reliability.

The upgraded lines also feature new smart switch technology, which can automatically detect and isolate damage, rapidly rerouting power to restore affected customers. “These devices have been such an impactful upgrade when it comes to reliability for our customers,” said Matt Bryant, director of Ameren Missouri’s Gateway Division. “Not only do they keep the lights on for more people during a storm, but by isolating the damage, smart switches also help our crews find and fix the underlying issue more quickly.

In addition to supporting reliable service for the area's residential customers, these upgrades will also boost reliability for critical facilities such as hospitals, schools and police stations. The project is expected to be placed in-service by May 2026. 

In the last five years, smart switch technology, installed through the Smart Energy Plan, has prevented more than 330,000 customer outages. To learn more about the Smart Energy Plan, please visit AmerenMissouri.com/plan.