Ameren Missouri Outlines Least-Cost Approach To Reliably Meet Customer Energy Needs In An Environmentally Responsible Manner

Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation, has announced its updated 20-year plan to provide reliable, affordable and resilient energy to its customers.

The plan calls for investment in new on-demand energy sources to ensure the long-term stability of the energy grid and accelerated deployment of renewable energy generation. The company’s plan is environmentally responsible and consistent with its sustainability goals.

Long-term energy plan focus on customers’ needs

Ameren Missouri's Integrated Resource Plan is designed to meet the projected energy needs of customers

Ameren Missouri's Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) is designed to meet the projected energy needs of its customers in an increasingly electrified future. It includes a balanced mix of energy sources to support continued reliability even under extreme weather conditions.

“Thoughtfully integrating a new, diverse mix of generation sources, while maintaining the availability of our existing energy centers through retirement is essential for a reliable, resilient and affordable clean energy future,” said Mark Birk, Chairman and President of Ameren Missouri.

He adds, “By making smart investments in an environmentally responsible way, we're strengthening the energy grid without compromising on affordability.”

Highlights of the 2023 IRP include:

• Deploying an 800-megawatt (MW) on-demand, natural gas simple-cycle energy center by 2027, representing a potential investment of US$ 800 million, to provide backup power at times of peak winter and summer energy demand.
• Moving back the previously announced addition of a combined-cycle energy center to 2033. This 1,200-MW facility is now scheduled to go in service, following the retirement of the Sioux Energy Center in 2032.
• Accelerating Ameren Missouri’s planned renewable energy additions by four years. The company plans to add 4,700 MW of new renewable energy by 2036. This represents a total potential investment of approximately US$ 9.5 billion. The company maintains its goal of 2,800 MW by 2030.
• Adding 800 MW of battery storage, including 400 MW by 2030 – five years earlier than previously planned – with an additional 400 MW of battery storage by 2035. This represents a total potential investment of US$ 1.3 billion through 2035.
• Planning 1,200 MW of clean, on-demand generation to be ready to serve customers in 2040 and an additional 1,200 MW by 2043.

Strategic investments timed to keep rates low

“Our strategic investments are timed to keep rates as low as possible for our customers, while making efficient system upgrades to provide clean, reliable and affordable energy for the long-term,” said Ajay Arora, the Senior Vice President and Chief Renewable Development Officer at Ameren Missouri.

Since last updating Ameren Missouri’s long-term plans in June 2022, the company has:

• Retired the coal-fired Meramec Energy Center at the end of 2022.
• Proposed a 2024 retirement of the coal-fired Rush Island Energy Center based on the projected completion date of grid reliability updates. The ultimate retirement date is subject to approval by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.
• Received approval to acquire, upon projected completion next year, two solar facilities with combined capacity of 350 MW.
• Announced plans to acquire or build an additional 550 MW of solar capacity targeted to be ready to serve customers between next year and 2026.

Robust, cost-effective energy efficiency

Between 2020 and 2022, these programs have saved more than 930,000 megawatt-hours of energy

Customers will continue to have the ability to manage their electric bills through robust, cost-effective energy efficiency and demand response programs.

Between 2020 and 2022, these programs have saved more than 930,000 megawatt-hours of energy. That's equivalent to the energy used by nearly 76,000 average residential homes in a year.

Targeting net-zero carbon emissions by 2045

Ameren’s companywide goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2045 is science based and consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius. This goal encompasses both Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, including other greenhouse gas emissions of methane, nitrous oxide and sulfur hexafluoride.

This goal is dependent on a variety of factors, including cost-effective advancements in innovative clean energy technologies, as well as constructive federal and state energy and economic policies. Interim targets include reducing carbon emissions 60% by 2030 and 85% by 2040, in each case based on 2005 levels.