Ameren unveils new energy plan amid data center surge
Ameren is proposing an 11,000 MW energy plan over two decades, primarily with natural gas, to meet increasing demand from data centers in Missouri. The plan faces criticism from the Sierra Club due to environmental concerns about increased fossil fuel use.
Ameren, a major utility company, has announced a new energy plan in Missouri aimed at addressing the increasing energy demand driven by the surge of data centers. The company is proposing to add 11,000 megawatts of new generation capacity over the next two decades, which is 5,000 megawatts more than previously planned.
The majority of this new capacity is expected to come from natural gas, with Ameren projecting that 60% of its energy will be sourced from natural gas by 2045, a significant increase from 5% in 2027. The plan also includes the development of 2,400 megawatts of battery storage by 2030. Ameren has not yet provided estimates on how this new energy plan will impact customer electricity bills.
The environmental group, the Sierra Club, has criticized Ameren's proposal. In a statement, they argued that "Burning more coal and gas will only increase the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like heat waves, droughts, and floods." The group further asserted that Ameren and tech companies are "gambling with the future of humanity" by relying on coal and gas to power data centers.