Climate-related risks are included in Ameren’s risk management processes to allow our business to make prudent decisions while meeting our customers’ energy needs in a safe, reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible manner.
Our strategy for effectively addressing key climate-related risks while positioning Ameren to continue to deliver long-term value to our customers, communities and shareholders is largely embedded in Ameren Missouri’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP).
The IRP outlines Ameren Missouri’s approach for the next several decades. This plan will require an investment of billions of dollars and create thousands of jobs, all without compromising reliability and resiliency for our customers.
Our primary sources of air emissions are Ameren Missouri’s fossil-fueled energy centers. Smaller amounts of emissions can also be attributed to our natural gas and electric delivery operations. To mitigate this, we have invested in a robust infrastructure at our facilities including air scrubbers, burning low-sulfur coal and optimizing other emissions control equipment at our coal-fired energy centers.
We monitor air quality via equipment installed at our facilities. Air monitors set up near several of our facilities provide additional reassurance to customers and others. Thanks to the measures we have taken at our operations, our air emissions are well below state and federal limits. Additional information is available in Ameren's Sustainability & Impact Report (PDF).
We are committed to protecting and minimizing our impact on natural resources by reducing our water use and returning clean water to our environment. We are targeting a 95% reduction of water withdrawn for thermal generation by 2045, according to a 2005 baseline.
Operations at our facilities comply with regulatory standards established by the federal Clean Water Act and state-issued permits. In addition, our water management approach goes beyond those mandates and includes processes to protect freshwater and groundwater in the regions where we operate as well as reducing consumption where possible.
We regularly evaluate water-related issues as part of our overall business strategy and long-term financial planning. In 2018, we conducted a Water Resiliency Assessment (PDF) that assessed the current and future availability of water resources and potential water stress in our regions of operation and key portions of our supply chain. This information is helping us better plan for our business’s future water needs.
How We Use Water
The majority of water we use is fresh surface water that comes from the Mississippi, Missouri, and Osage rivers. Most of this is used for clean hydroelectric power generation, which contributes to Ameren’s goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. Ameren Missouri operates three hydroelectric energy centers that harness freshwater and pumped water to create power. Water releases from these facilities are monitored and managed to meet regulatory criteria.
Freshwater is also used for non-contact thermal cooling at our nuclear and coal-fired energy centers. A small fraction of water is used for non-cooling purposes, which is treated in our wastewater treatment systems before it is discharged back to the river from where it came. All water is closely monitored in accordance with our specific permit limits and 99% of what is withdrawn from river systems is safely returned to the environment.
We are targeting a 95% reduction in water withdrawal for thermal generation (i.e., all non-hydroelectric generation) by 2045. With a 44% reduction compared to 2005 levels, we have exceeded our 2030 interim target of 40% by 2030. Our water reduction targets coincide with the retirement of our coal-fired energy centers, as presented in Ameren Missouri's Integrated Resource Plan.
