Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corp., has entered into an agreement to acquire, after construction, a wind facility totaling up to 157 MW in northwest Missouri.
The project, developed by EDF Renewables North America, will be located in Atchison County. When operational in 2020, the project is expected to power an estimated 47,000 homes. This new generation will help Ameren Missouri meet its goal of reducing carbon emissions 80% by 2050 from 2005 levels.
“Our transition to cleaner forms of generation is building momentum,” says Michael Moehn, president of Ameren Missouri. “Investing in renewable generation, with the majority in Missouri, benefits our customers and the communities we serve by keeping rates steady and increasing economic activity.”
“Between the substantial improvements in the wind turbine technology and declining prices, it makes a lot of sense for us to be making this significant investment,” adds Ajay Arora, vice president of power operations and energy management at Ameren Missouri. “As we grow renewable energy, we’re also preparing smart technology upgrades for the state’s energy grid. Combined, they will create long-lasting, positive impacts for our customers.”
Today’s announcement is the second major step in implementing Ameren Missouri’s Integrated Resource Plan, a 20-year outlook that supports cleaner energy in the state. Planned investments include approximately $1 billion to build wind generation projects in Missouri and possibly neighboring states, resulting in at least 700 MW of new wind-generated energy by 2020. Ameren Missouri also expects to add 100 MW of solar-generated energy over the next 10 years, with 50 MW targeted to come online by 2025.
In May, Ameren Missouri announced an agreement to acquire a 400 MW wind farm under construction in northeast Missouri.
The transactions are subject to a number of conditions, including approval from the Missouri Public Service Commission and the approval of a “timely and acceptable” transmission interconnection agreement from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator.
