Data centers drive huge power plant buildout in Ameren Missouri 20-year plan
Ameren Missouri has released a 20-year plan to significantly expand power plant construction, primarily natural gas, to meet the surging electricity demand driven by data center development. The utility's new Integrated Resource Plan omits previous goals for net-zero carbon emissions, sparking criticism from environmental advocates. The proposal is currently under review by the Missouri Public Service Commission and is facing organized opposition.
Ameren Missouri's latest 20-year Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) details a substantial increase in power plant construction, which the utility attributes primarily to the escalating electricity demands from data center expansion. The plan indicates 40 potential large data center projects within Ameren Missouri's service area, including a proposed $3 billion data center by TerraWatt in St. Louis.
The 2026 IRP significantly ramps up the utility's reliance on natural gas, proposing nine new plants over the next two decades, and extends the operational timelines for two existing coal plants, Sioux and Labadie. A notable change from previous plans is the removal of language concerning net-zero carbon emissions, a shift Ameren's executive vice president, Ajay Arora, stated would depend on the maturation of new technologies like carbon capture.
Environmental groups, including the Sierra Club, have voiced strong opposition to the plan. Jenn DeRose, the Sierra Club’s campaign organizing strategist for Beyond Coal in Missouri, criticized Ameren for choosing natural gas despite renewables being the cheapest energy sources, and has planned a protest for October 10. Ameren officials, including Arora and Rob Dixon, Vice President of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs, defend the plan, citing the need for a diverse and reliable energy mix and emphasizing that Missouri law (Senate Bill 4) requires data centers to fund their own infrastructure, which they claim will save existing customers $21 million over two years.
The IRP is now a formal case before the Missouri Public Service Commission, where it will undergo review, public comment, and scrutiny from various external parties before a final decision is made. James Owen, executive director of Renew Missouri, warned that the costs associated with the new power plants would eventually translate into higher rates for customers, attributing the primary driver of increased energy consumption to data centers, not population growth or other manufacturing.