Ameren seeks to build 400 megawatts of additional solar generation
Ameren Missouri is seeking Public Service Commission approval to add 400 MW of solar generation and 545 MW of energy storage across several Missouri counties. This expansion is partly driven by the anticipated electricity demands of new data centers from companies like Google and Amazon in the state. The Missouri Office of Public Counsel has expressed concerns that the solar facilities primarily benefit large-load customers.
Ameren Missouri has submitted a request to the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) to approve the addition of 400 megawatts (MW) of solar generation and 545 MW of energy storage to its grid. The proposal includes battery energy storage systems in Lincoln, Audrain, and St. Louis counties, and solar generation facilities of 175 MW and 225 MW in Audrain and Stoddard counties, respectively, along with a 161 kilovolt switching station in Lincoln County. The Audrain County solar facility, named "Tom Sawyer," would be located next to the existing Huck Finn Solar Energy Center in Vandalia.
The utility's expansion plans are closely linked to the increasing demand from large-load users, particularly newly constructed or planned data centers in Missouri. This includes Google's recently announced $15-billion data center campus in New Florence, which is also slated to host an Amazon data center. A partnership between Ameren and Google aims to add over 500 MW of capacity to the grid, specifically to ensure sufficient electricity for data centers.
The Missouri Office of Public Counsel (OPC) has acknowledged the need for increased generation but has raised concerns that the proposed solar facilities are primarily for the benefit of large-load customers like data centers. In a March memo to the PSC, the OPC suggested that such investments only make sense if explicitly built at the request and financial support of data centers willing to pay a premium for clean generation. The PSC is currently evaluating Ameren's request, considering various generation forms and turnaround times, with solar facilities offering quicker construction times. Interested parties have until June 12 to intervene in the case.