Smart Energy Plan

November 13, 2026

Ameren Missouri upgrades power lines in Spanish Lake

New higher-capacity wire supports reliability for thousands

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Ameren Missouri is nearing completion of upgrades on about 2 miles of power lines in Spanish Lake. The upgrades strengthen the local grid and support reliability for approximately 2,000 customers, including the Saint Louis Zoo Wildcare Park.

Crews installed new wood poles along Riverview Drive and Larimore Road, added stronger composite poles and crossarms, and upgraded the existing wire to a stronger, higher-capacity conductor.

Wire plays a big role in keeping the lights on. Older wires can weaken over time and, in this case, may simply not have enough "room" for new electricity demand. The new wire installed in Spanish Lake is built to carry more power, like adding lanes to a highway to relieve rush-hour traffic.

Benefits of the larger wire include:

• More capacity: The lines can carry more electricity, helping meet today’s energy needs and supporting growth in the community.
• Faster restoration: Higher-capacity lines give crews more flexibility to reroute power to customers when an outage does occur.
• Added strength: Stronger wire is better able to withstand severe weather and tree contact, helping reduce the likelihood of outages.

The upgraded lines are linked together by newly installed smart switches. These devices can detect damage and reroute power around the affected area to restore power to more customers.

“Taken together, these upgrades make the local grid stronger and more flexible," said Eric Webb, superintendent of Ameren Missouri’s Berkeley division. "For customers in Spanish Lake, that should mean fewer storm-related interruptions and more options to restore power quickly if it does go out.”

The wire upgrades build on other recent investments in the area, including the 2023 replacement of aging equipment at a substation in Spanish Lake.

To learn more about reliability upgrades in your area, visit AmerenMissouri.com/Reliability.