Ameren Missouri to Build a New Solar Facility to Power 44,000 Homes

Today, Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation (NYSE:AEE), announced plans to develop an additional low-cost energy source to power 44,000 homes and provide 300 construction jobs. Ameren Missouri Logo (PRNewsfoto/Ameren Missouri) Building on a series of recent announcements focusing on investing in a reliable and balanced mix of energy resources, the company filed a proposal with the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) to construct the 250-megawatt (MW) Reform Renewable Energy Center. The solar facility is planned adjacent to the company's existing nuclear powered Callaway Energy Center in central Missouri. Pending timely approval, construction will begin next year, with the project ready to serve customers in 2028. Like Callaway Energy Center, the project is anticipated to be an economic engine in the community, adding an estimated 300 high-quality construction jobs at its peak, generating demand for support services and suppliers, and contributing to the area's economic vitality. There will also be permanent jobs for maintenance and ongoing operations once in service. "For more than 40 years, Callaway Energy Center has been a dependable source of energy for Missouri, and this new project will produce more locally generated energy," said Mark Birk, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri. "Reform will also help us meet our goal of a balanced energy mix of about 70% from on-demand and 30% from intermittent sources, which allows us to achieve the two things our customers find most valuable: reliability and affordability." Ameren Missouri owns the land for the proposed facility and the transmission interconnection, reducing construction time and expenses. Reform also offers customers exceptional value thanks to available tax incentives, including its location inside an energy community. "The Reform project will benefit our customers, the communities we serve and the entire state," said Ajay Arora, senior vice president and chief development officer at Ameren Missouri." The site can also host up to 250 MW of energy storage. In the future, Ameren Missouri may apply to the PSC to install batteries at the Reform site. The batteries would store excess energy produced by the facility and discharge it when demand on the grid is higher, when customers need it most. Alongside the Reform Renewable Energy Center, Ameren Missouri is developing several projects to ensure long-term reliability. The Castle Bluff Energy Center, scheduled to be online in 2027, will provide backup power during peak demand. The planned Big Hollow Energy Center, pending approval and slated for completion in 2028, will be Ameren Missouri's first hybrid facility combining natural gas and battery storage. Four solar projects, representing more than 400 MW, are under construction and expected to begin serving customers by the end of next year. They will join three solar sites brought online at the end of 2024, which are collectively generating enough power for 92,000 homes annually.