US utility Ameren Missouri has released its smart energy plan for the next five years.
The smart energy plan includes upgrading energy infrastructure and utility’s operations by implementing some 2,000 projects.
Ameren Missouri has filed the smart energy plan with the Missouri Public Service Commission as part of efforts to prepare its grid for the future and to enhance customer services.
The plan is expected to help the utility to reduce its carbon emissions and to keep consumer energy bills affordable.
The smart energy plan includes:
- Up to $5.3 billion in capital investments, with approximately $1 billion in electric investments in 2019.
- Expanding the renewable energy portfolio. Up to $1 billion will be directed towards wind energy in 2020. The plan includes increasing solar energy generation and energy storage systems capacity.
- Installing new smart grid sensors, switches and self-healing equipment to detect and isolate outages.
- Increasing the resiliency of the utility’s grid network by installing 12,000 storm resilient poles.
- Laying more than 400 miles of new underground cable and equipment and installing more than 70 digital substations and upgrading existing ones.
- Adding more than 800,000 smart electric meters through 2023.
- Reducing consumer bills by 6% and introducing a price cap through 2020.
- Creating up to 2,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Michael Moehn, president of Ameren Missouri, said: “Building a smart grid for the future of energy in Missouri is foundational to our mission to power the quality of life for our customers and the communities we serve for generations to come.
“We have developed a forward-thinking and customer-focused infrastructure upgrade plan that will not only produce a grid that is more reliable and resilient, but also be able to accommodate more renewable energy. Our Smart Energy Plan will position us to deliver on our promises to provide more customer benefits, while at the same time keeping rates stable and predictable.”
