Energy News Round Up: Making Great Progress
Renewable Energy Project Announced
The largest wind farm in the state of Missouri will be owned and operated by Ameren Missouri after construction is completed in 2020. This will help Ameren Missouri achieve its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050.
The wind farm will be built in Adair and Schuyler counties in northeast Missouri. Ground breaking is expected next summer for the farm which will consist of 175 American-made wind turbines that stand more than 450 feet tall.
The wind farm is enabled by the expanded transmission capacity made possible by the Mark Twain Transmission Project, which will be in service in December 2019. The new wind farm will be among the most technologically advanced in the state. The energy to be produced will power an estimated 120,000 homes by 2020.
Corporate Social Responsibility
The 2018 Corporate Social Responsibility Report details Ameren's commitments to community betterment, environmental performance and financial strength. The new report details actions taken by Ameren to improve the environment and the communities the company serves. It's available at AmerenCSR.com.
The report includes six major subject areas on topics like cleaner energy generation, cleaner air, the economic impact of the company, and the value customers get from Ameren. Electric distribution reliability performance, charitable giving efforts and financial performance are also outlined in the report.
“Safe, reliable, affordable and cleaner energy is critical to the well-being and security of our customers, communities and country," said Warner L. Baxter, Ameren’s chairman, president and chief executive officer. "For decades, Ameren has recognized the importance of being a strong corporate citizen. Our active engagement and investments in the communities we serve, including extensive volunteerism by our 8,600 co-workers, help us deliver superior value to our customers and shareholders, and to make positive contributions to society.”
Energy Efficiency Program Planned
Ameren Missouri is laying out plans for the largest energy efficiency program in state history. The proposed group of programs, detailed in a filing with the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC), focus on:
- Saving customers money
- Providing customers with more control over their energy use
- Adding more ways for customers to participate
- Expanding programs to provide energy savings for customers most in need
The current proposal under the Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act includes 26 programs with $285 million in rebates available for both residential and business customers. If approved by the PSC, the programs will run from 2019 to 2024.
Ameren Missouri's plan calls for investments of nearly $92 million per year for the next six years on electric energy efficiency. As a result, the program is projected to
save 2 billion kilowatt-hours of energy, further reducing carbon emissions and taking the equivalent of nearly 319,000 cars off the road.
To learn more, or to participate in current energy efficiency opportunities offered through Ameren Missouri, visit AmerenMissouri.com/EnergyEfficiency.