Smart Energy Plan

May 27, 2026

New substation energized in Cape Girardeau

The Glenwood project is designed to reduce outages and support future growth

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Ameren Missouri has energized a new substation designed to support improved reliability for about 3,400 customers in the northern Cape Girardeau area. The project replaces the aging Glenwood substation with newer equipment built to better serve the community’s power needs while also better protecting customers from disruptions.

The upgraded facility can support about twice the power capacity of the existing substation, meaning it can handle more demand and give crews more flexibility to redirect power when problems occur.

It also replaces critical equipment that was more than 50 years old and prone to flooding from a nearby creek. The new substation is being built on a new site across the road, which will help lower the risk of flood damage and reduce the chance of service interruptions caused by high water.

“Our older substations can be more vulnerable to interruptions caused by a number of environmental factors,” said Matt Haffer, manager of substation construction for Ameren Missouri. “This upgrade gives us newer, better-protected equipment that will help reduce those risks and improve reliability for customers.”

New smart technology installed as part of the project can detect issues faster and automatically reroute power, helping restore service more quickly. Related line upgrades, including the use of composite poles, are also expected to strengthen the system during severe weather.

“Reliable power is crucial for our region, whether supporting families' daily energy needs, protecting against storms or providing the modern service needed to attract new businesses,” said Russ Burger, director of Ameren Missouri’s southeast Missouri division. “The completion of this project marks a huge step forward, and it reflects the kind of customer-focused investment in reliability we’re making through our Smart Energy Plan.”

How the project will help customers

For customers, the project is expected to deliver several immediate benefits. They include improved system capacity, a lower risk of equipment-related outages, and faster restoration after storms.

• More capacity during heavy-use periods, such as hot summer days
• Lower risk of outages tied to aging equipment or flood-related damage
• Faster restoration through smart technology
• Stronger system performance during severe weather
• Support for growth in north Cape Girardeau and nearby areas
• Use of equipment sourced from Missouri-based suppliers

The substation is located near the Cape Jaycee Municipal Golf course. It serves approximately 3,400 customers in the area, including the eastern edge of the city of Jackson.

The Glenwood project is one of several grid upgrades recently completed or underway in southeast Missouri as part of Ameren Missouri’s Smart Energy Plan. The company has upgraded more than 140 substations across the state through the plan, which focuses on modernizing older infrastructure and improving reliability for customers.

The new Glenwood substation is expected to go into service after final startup and testing are completed in the summer of 2026. To learn more about Smart Energy Plan projects in your area, visit Ameren.com/Reliability.