Utility Integration

Missouri utility plans major investments in renewables and battery storage

Missouri utility plans major investments in renewables and battery storage
(Image by Como una Reina from Pixabay )

Ameren Missouri has released its 2023 Integrated Resource plan, along with updates to its 20-year plan, which calls for sizeable investments in natural gas, renewables, and battery storage.

The utility, which serves 1.2 million electric and 135,000 natural gas customers, said its IRP is in line with serving customer needs and pursuing parent company Ameren’s goal of net-zero carbon emissions by 2045.

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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 $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 $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 $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.

“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.

Since its last update to the long-term plan in June 2022, Ameren Missouri retired the coal-fired Meramec Energy Center, proposed a 2024 retirement of the coal-fired Rush Island Energy Center, received approval to acquire 350 MW of new solar capacity, and announced plans to acquire or build an additional 550 MW of solar between 2024 and 2026.