As part of the $5.3 billion initiative, the company aims to add more than 800,000 smart electric meters through 2023
Utility provider Ameren Missouri announced the company’s Smart Energy plan, which includes more than 2,000 electric projects over the next five years that will modernize the energy grid.
Ameren Missouri filed the plan with the Missouri Public Service Commission last week.
“Building a smart grid for the future of energy in Missouri is foundational to our mission to power the quality of life for our customers and the communities we serve for generations to come,” said Michael Moehn, president of Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corp. “Our Smart Energy plan will position us to deliver on our promises to provide more customer benefits, while at the same time keeping rates stable and predictable.”
Highlights of the smart energy plan include:
-More than 2,000 infrastructure improvement projects across the state totaling $5.3 billion in capital investments over the next five years, including approximately $1 billion in electric investments in 2019.
-Major renewable energy projects to continue the transition to a cleaner energy future for customers, including $1 billion for wind energy in 2020. This also includes modernizing the energy grid to allow Ameren Missouri to add more solar energy and battery storage on the system to cost-effectively boost reliability, particularly in rural areas, the company said.
-New smart grid sensors, switches and self-healing equipment to rapidly detect and isolate outages, aiming to reduce the number of outages and speeding power restoration when service interruptions occur.
-Upgrading its energy delivery backbone, including installing 12,000 new utility poles for storm hardening, many fortified with composite materials to better withstand severe weather, according to Ameren Missouri.
-More than 400 miles of new underground cable and equipment to create a more efficient and reliable underground energy delivery system.
-Adding more than 800,000 smart electric meters through 2023 to give customers more insight and control of their energy options and costs.
The company also said that executing its plan will create thousands of direct and indirect jobs in Missouri communities.
