Ameren Illinois News
Ameren Corporation announced that Steven O. Vondran has been elected to the Ameren Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2025. He is the President and Chief Executive Officer of American Tower Corporation, a global real estate investment trust and independent Owner, Operator and Developer of multitenant communications real estate with a portfolio of over 148,000 communications sites and a highly interconnected footprint of U.S. data center facilities. Steven O. Vondran has held various lead...
Ahead of Utility Scam Awareness Day on Nov. 20, Ameren is reminding residential and business customers not to let their guard down during the busy holiday season. Customers should remain scam-aware and know how to spot common utility scam tactics. Utility companies worldwide partner to promote this United Against Scams campaign to raise awareness and educate customers, so they do not fall victim to scams. Latest scam tactics Holiday season is often a busy time that includes family gatherings,...
Ameren Illinois customers served by the Marion Operating Center (OC) know that journeymen linemen - Jason Novak, Clayton Gulley and Austin Lewis are great at keeping the lights on in southern Illinois. The trio now has the distinction of being the best linemen in the world after finishing first overall at the 40th International Lineman’s Rodeo in Overland Park, Kansas, USA, Oct. 18-19, 2024. 40th International Lineman’s Rodeo The lineman's rodeo attracts the best linemen from arou...
Ameren line workers, apprentices and judges will travel to the 40th annual International Lineman's Rodeo in Overland Park, Kansas, USA, later this week. The event, often coined as the ‘Lineman Olympics’, will take place on Oct. 19 and offers line workers from around the world the opportunity to compete in events based on the common tasks performed by journeymen line workers and apprentices. Ameren line workers at the ‘Lineman Olympics’ Ameren Illinois is sending 12 lin...
Ameren is sending four teams – three from Missouri and one from Illinois – to compete in the 2024 National Gas Rodeo for natural gas workers – a two-day competition, September. 11-13, in Florence, Kentucky. The Gas Rodeo attracts the best natural gas workers from around the country to compete in events based on traditional tasks and skills. Best natural gas workers “While athletes from around the world were training for the Olympics in Paris, our natural gas journeyme...
The American Gas Association (AGA), a national organization of which Ameren Corporation is a member, recently honored three Ameren employees for using customer gas usage data to proactively identify natural gas leaks at customers' residences. Ameren's Jeff Berry, Scott Lithgow, and Scott Hixson created a process to pull natural gas usage data from a customer's advanced meter and flag usage patterns indicative of a potential natural gas leak. In its first year of implementation, 93 gas leaks wer...
The busy summer season has commenced, and scammers are using sophisticated new strategies to target utility customers with the goal of stealing money or obtaining personal and financial information. “Scammers tend to increase their activity when summer temperatures are at their hottest and when you’re most reliant on your air conditioner,” said Carlos Ross, Security Manager for Ameren, adding “They also aim to reach customers when they are busy enjoying summer activities...
Ameren Illinois Company, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation announced the pricing of a public offering of $625 million aggregate principal amount of 5.55% first mortgage bonds due 2054 at 99.810% of their principal amount. joint book-running managers The transaction is expected to close on June 27, 2024, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. Ameren Illinois intends to use the net proceeds of the offering to repay a portion of its short-term debt. Barcla...
Ameren Missouri will soon be replacing 20-year-old technology for natural gas customers throughout southeast Missouri. The company plans to install upgraded natural gas modules to existing meters in Cape Girardeau and Dexter starting in July 2024. This upgrade will provide detailed information to Ameren Missouri’s natural gas customers so they can manage how they use energy and see where they could save money. Upgrade benefits In addition to offering more control over their energy use...
Ameren Missouri., a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation received approval from the Missouri Public Service Commission to acquire a 150-megawatt (MW) solar facility that is currently under construction in Cass County, Illinois. The Cass County Renewable Energy Center will be used to double the size of the Renewable Solutions program. ready-made solutions "Demand remains very strong for programs that bring businesses ready-made solutions to help them reach their sustainability goals," said M...
Ameren Missouri., a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation, has filed an application with the Missouri Public Service Commission to build an 800-megawatt simple-cycle natural gas energy center to serve as a reliable backup source of energy, ready to use when customers need it most. The Castle Bluff Energy Center is designed to bolster grid reliability and would be used to deliver energy on the hottest summer days, and the coldest winter nights, and complement the increasing amount of renewabl...
Ameren Missouri. announced plans to build a new solar facility alongside the existing Montgomery Community Solar Center in New Florence, an hour west of St. Louis. The site, which will be part of Ameren Missouri’s Community Solar program, fills the demand created by more than 4,700 customers from across the state who want to expand their use of renewable energy. renewable energy “Customers continue to find the Community Solar program an easy way to grow their use of renewable ener...
With the winter heating season in the rearview mirror, Ameren Illinois is focusing on the road ahead by upgrading four of its underground natural gas storage fields to ensure continued reliability next winter and beyond. natural gas availability "We saw firsthand during Winter Storm Gerri the role our underground storage fields played in providing readily available natural gas to meet customer heating needs. In one brutal stretch of sub-zero temperatures, our customers used the fourth hig...
Ameren was named a 2024 Tree Line USA utility by the Arbor Day Foundation to recognize its dedication to proper urban forest management in the utility's service area. Tree Line USA, a partnership between the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters, recognizes public and private utilities for pursuing best practices that protect and cultivate America's urban tree canopy. In addition, Tree Line USA promotes delivering safe and reliable electri...
Ameren Illinois customers driving in and around North University Street and Illinois Route 40 in Peoria will see energy at work and throughout August as the company upgrades a major natural gas transmission pipeline ahead of a hydrostatic pressure test of the pipeline. gas pipeline upgrade Work recently began along a seven-mile section of existing natural gas pipeline from North University Street and Willow Knolls to East Boy Scout Road in Mossville. Ameren is working with IDOT and the City o...
A subsidiary of St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation has been selected by the regional transmission operator, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), to develop a US$ 273 million transmission project across northern Missouri. “We are proud to have won this vital project that will give Missourians a more resilient energy grid and boost reliability for millions of people,” said Shawn Schukar, the Chairman and President of Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI), a su...
Communities spanning from Perry County to the city of Cape Girardeau and beyond are now benefiting from more reliable energy thanks to a recently completed transmission infrastructure project. The Limestone Ridge Project includes the construction of a new, approximately 15 mile, 138-kV transmission line and two state-of-the-art substations. Ameren Transmission collaborated with Wabash Valley Power Alliance (WVPA) to improve reliability, provide additional energy capacity for local manufacturing...
Ameren Missouri., a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation received approval to build or acquire approximately 400 megawatts (MW) of solar energy. The first of the three solar projects is scheduled to go into service in 2025, with two more set to begin serving customers in 2026. "Thoughtfully integrating these new, low-cost energy sources with our existing generation fleet is one of the ways Ameren Missouri is providing our customers with the reliable, resilient, and affordable energy they expect,"...
Residents and businesses in the city of Lincoln and Logan County are benefiting from more reliable energy thanks to a recently completed, 8.4-mile high-voltage transmission line. The Logan County Connector Project is improving system reliability while opening a new pathway for electricity and increasing transmission capacity to meet Downstate Illinois’ growth needs. Grid strengthening "The Logan County Connector Project is another great example of the trusted local utility completing...
Residents and businesses in seven southwestern Illinois counties are benefiting from more reliable energy thanks to the upgrade of a 140-mile 345-kV transmission line from Cahokia to Joppa. The recently completed, multiyear Southern Illinois Reliability Project is improving system reliability while also opening pathways for clean energy to be distributed to the region and increasing transmission capacity to meet the area’s growth needs. Southern Illinois Reliability Project This project...
Ameren Illinois’ work in restoring power to nearly 200,000 customers in the wake of the June Derecho was recognized by the nation’s premier energy industry association. The company was presented with an Emergency Response Award by the Edison Electric Institute at its recent winter membership meeting. "America’s electric companies are committed to serving their customers and communities and to restoring power safely and as quickly as possible following severe storms and ot...
Ameren Corporation published its latest climate report aligned with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations. The report highlights actions Ameren is taking to manage climate-related risks and reliably transition to a cleaner energy future while achieving its goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. Report findings Notable updates to report include: Demonstrating the alignment of Ameren's current science-based carbon emissions reduction targets, as...
The Board of Directors of Ameren Corporation announced that Kimberly J. Harris has been elected to the Ameren Board of Directors, effective January 1, 2024. She brings extensive senior leadership experience to the Ameren Board of Directors. Kimberly J. Harris is the former Chief Executive Officer and President of Puget Sound Energy (PSE), Washington State's largest utility serving more than 1.5 million customers across 10 counties. During her nine-year tenure as CEO at PSE, she fostered a stron...
Ameren co-workers love their libraries. The company has awarded $200,000 in grants to 100 public libraries throughout its Missouri and Illinois service territory as part of Ameren's Love Your Library program. The libraries awarded were chosen based on nominations from Ameren co-workers. Ameren co-workers noted how their own local library shaped their love for reading, and the joy their children have experienced there as they built early literacy skills. Beyond books, these libraries are also pr...
Reliable energy from the Callaway Energy Center near Fulton, Missouri, USA, is once again supporting communities across the state, after a scheduled refueling outage. The energy center’s 26th planned refueling and maintenance outage was completed last week. “Callaway, and the reliable, carbon-free energy we generate every day, is absolutely vital and foundational to reliably serving our customers’ energy needs for decades to come,” said Warren Witt, Plant Manager at Call...
A subsidiary of St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation, in partnership with the Missouri Electric Commission, has been selected by the regional grid operator, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), to lead the development of an US$ 84 million transmission project in northwest Missouri. “This project will bolster grid resiliency and energy reliability for Missourians,” said Shawn Schukar, President of Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI), a subsidiary of Ameren Co...
Ameren Transmission and Ameren Illinois are working to build a more reliable and resilient energy grid and are hosting multiple public open houses this week to gather input from local stakeholders. This is the second round of in-person open houses to take place in Adams, Brown, Morgan and Pike counties, as well as Champaign, Ford and Iroquois counties. In the western counties, the first open house is set for 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 24, at The Ambiance, 5225 Kochs La...
Ameren Missouri has been awarded a US$ 47 million Smart Grid Grant from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) Program to accelerate infrastructure upgrades to support reliability for customers in rural and disadvantaged communities statewide. Coupled with the company’s own investment of $54 million, Ameren is implementing a $101 million total investment in the energy future of rural Missouri. Ameren Missouri’s Rural Moderniza...
Teams and apprentices from Ameren Illinois crossed the stage several times and collected some serious hardware for their efforts at the International Lineman’s Rodeo in Overland Park, Kansas, USA, from Oct. 13-14, 2023. “It was one of our best all-time efforts at the international competition,” said Craig Gilson, retiring VP of Electric Operations for Ameren Illinois, adding “Everyone competed safely and gave their best efforts in front of family, friends and coworkers....
As the temperatures cool down and customers begin to prepare for the winter months, Ameren Illinois and Google are joining forces with the Environmental Law and Policy Center to give Ameren Illinois heating customers another helpful way to save energy. Customers can get a Google Nest Thermostat, at no cost with tax and shipping included, thanks to a special promotion that runs through November 30. Approximately half of a typical residential customer’s utility costs go toward heating and c...