Bringing New Energy to the South Metro
More than 100,000 Missouri residents are enjoying reliable energy thanks to the completion of the Metro South Reliability Project. The project included construction of two new transmission towers on both sides of the Mississippi River. Each tower stands 294 feet tall – roughly the height of the Statue of Liberty – and weighs 500,000 pounds. The project created a second power supply to help prevent outages and increase energy capacity. “By bolstering the grid with needed upgrades, this project enabled a seamless transition for customers when we retired the Meramec Energy Center,” said Suzanne Pohlman, project manager for the Metro South Reliability Project.
What does the Smart Energy Plan include?
Energy Underground
In 2022, Ameren Missouri completed one of its last projects downtown to install new conduit under the streets of St. Louis. The work supports energy reliability for downtown residents, businesses and visitors. When complete, this system will be one of the first in the nation to have smart technology in a downtown environment that helps reduce outages for customers. This multiyear project replaces and modernizes century-old systems. The new technology means fewer outages and shorter outages when they do occur, faster repairs when necessary, and remote operation capabilities.
Historic Rainfall Leaves St. Louis Under Water
In 2022, St. Louis experienced historic rainfall, causing flooding in the metro area. Over nine inches of rain fell in one day – the highest 24-hour rainfall on record. The area received 25% of the normal yearly rainfall in just 12 hours of time. This caused standing water to surround substations. Initial customer outages were near 26,000. Thanks to our Smart Energy Plan and the grid resiliency work we have accomplished, we were able to quickly restore power to customers from nearby substations. In addition, over 9,500 customers avoided extended outages due to smart switch operations during this event. Future Smart Energy Plan projects include upgrades to more substations to avoid flood-related issues.
Progress to Date
171
Upgraded Power Line Miles
1,178
Smart Switches
75
New or Upgraded Substations
772,000
