Smart Energy Plan

July 10, 2026

Substation upgrade supports reliability for Scott County customers

New equipment will help strengthen service for more than 1,000 customers and support local agriculture

---

Ameren Missouri is upgrading aging electric infrastructure in Scott County to help deliver reliable energy for homes, farms and businesses.

The project includes the construction of an upgraded substation between Benton and Sikeston, replacing equipment that had served the area for more than 60 years. The new substation includes smart technology upgrades that can automatically restore power, supporting faster restoration for customers compared to the aging, manually operated equipment.

The upgraded substation is expected to support reliability for more than 1,000 customers in the area. It also adds capacity for changing local energy needs, including the addition of several grain dryers that help support Missouri farmers and the region’s agriculture economy.

“Reliable energy is vital for families, farms and businesses across southeast Missouri,” said state Sen. Jamie Burger, who represents the area in the state legislature. “This new equipment will help ensure that we have the power we need to continue growing the crops that feed our families and fuel our local economy.”

Customer benefits of this project include:

• Modern reliability: New smart switch technology can quickly detect problems and reroute power to reduce outage impacts.
• Support for local agriculture: Added capacity will help serve new grain-drying equipment and the farms that depend on it.
• Stronger storm performance: Related power line upgrades include stronger composite poles designed to limit cascading damage and support faster restoration after severe weather.
• Missouri-made equipment: Major components for the project were manufactured in Missouri, including switchgears from nVent in Fulton and a transformer from WEG Transformers USA in Washington.

The new substation is expected to be energized and serving customers before the end of 2026.

The Scott County project is part of Ameren Missouri’s Smart Energy Plan, an ongoing effort to strengthen and modernize the electric grid for customers across the state. Through the plan, Ameren Missouri has upgraded nearly 150 substations and storm-hardened more than 300 miles of overhead lines, including recent projects in southeast Missouri communities such as Cape Girardeau, Scott City and Morehouse.

To learn more about how Ameren Missouri is supporting reliability through the Smart Energy Plan, visit Ameren.com/Reliability.