Ameren Plots Natural Gas-Fired Growth through 2045

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Written by Will Ploch, Assistant Editor-in-Chief for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

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Summary

Ameren is hitting the gas pedal on gas-fired generation in its home state of Missouri, planning up to 10.6 GW of capacity additions across the state through 2045. Solar and battery-storage projects also are in the mix.

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Turning Up the (Nat) Gas

Earlier this week, Ameren Corporation filed a 20-year integrated resource plan (IRP) with Missouri regulators to add up to 10.6 gigawatts (GW) of new gas-fired power generation across the Show-Me State, along with 3.6 GW of new solar generation and 5.1 GW from other resources. Industrial Info Resources is tracking more than $12 billion worth of active and proposed projects from Ameren, about $4.6 billion of which is attributed to gas-fired projects in Missouri.

The proposed plan would hike gas-fired generation from about 5% of Ameren's existing resource mix to 60% by 2045, while ending its coal-based generation entirely. Earlier this summer, Ameren announced plans to build the West Alton Energy Center in West Alton, Missouri, a 2,100-megawatt (MW), combined-cycle facility "designed to provide dependable energy at all times of day for customers across Missouri," according to Ameren. It would be located next to Ameren's coal-fired Sioux Power Plant, which Ameren expects to close by the end of 2035.

In an application filed with the Missouri Public Service Commission (MoPSC) in July, Ameren said it currently expects West Alton will be completed by the end of 2031. The company acknowledged the growth of data centers was a major factor in its decision: "State law and the company's Powering Missouri Growth Plan include provisions to make sure data centers cover the costs of the infrastructure needed to serve them, protecting existing customers while providing reliable service for all."

Industrial Info Resources offers more information on West Alton in its Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Plant and Project databases, where readers can find details--including construction schedules, investment values and necessary equipment--in a plant profile and project report.

According to Industrial Info Resources data, Missouri is home to more than $130 billion worth of active and proposed data-center projects, about $15.4 billion of which is attributed to projects under construction. Major players include Alphabet Incorporated, the parent company of Google, and Amazon.com Incorporated. Readers can learn more from a detailed list of project reports.

Among Ameren's largest projects under construction is the Castle Bluff Energy Center in Saint Louis, Missouri, at the former Meramec Power Station. Ameren says the simple-cycle facility, which started construction in March, will generate 800 MW via four units that will utilize gas turbines provided by GE Vernova. Readers can learn more from a detailed plant profile and project report.

By the Numbers

• More than $12 billion: Total investment value of active and proposed projects from Ameren
• 10.6 GW: Ameren's planned gas-fired power-generation additions across Missouri, through 2045
• More than $130 billion: TIV of active and proposed data-center projects across Missouri, cited as a top reason for new capacity

Taking Things Step-by-Step

Ameren plans to stagger its growth in gas-fired generation in Missouri by adding 2.1 GW of combined-cycle generation by 2031, then another 2.8 GW by 2035, then another 1.4 GW by 2042. On the simple-cycle side, Ameren plans to bring 1.9 GW into service by 2029, and another 2.4 GW sometime between 2040 and 2045.

Solar generation also is set for development in Missouri, with Ameren planning to add 1.3 GW by 2030 and another 2.3 GW by 2045. Among its proposed developments is the Mill Creek Energy Center in Troy, which would generate 250 MW from photovoltaic (PV) panels. It would be built alongside a proposed, 250-MW battery energy-storage system (BESS). Readers can learn more from a plant profile and reports on the solar and BESS components.

But BESS units aren't just for solar plants. At the Castle Bluff Energy Center, Ameren is weighing a proposed BESS unit addition that would carry 95 MW via lithium-ion technology. Readers can learn more from a detailed project report.

Marty Lyons, the chief executive officer of Ameren, noted in a recent earnings-related conference call that his company aims to put battery-storage technology forward in its energy mix: "Fuel cells are another area of technology that we're looking at. In longer term, beyond the next five years, we have wind in there, but it doesn't really fit into that category of things that we think we could put forward in the near term."

The Industrial Info Resources GMI Project and Plant databases offer a full list of detailed reports for projects mentioned in this article, and a full list of related plant profiles.

Industrial Info Resources also offers a full list of reports for active and proposed projects from Ameren.

Key Takeaways

• Ameren plans to add up to 10.6 GW of new gas-fired power generation across Missouri by 2045.
• The company plans to stagger out its growth in gas-fired and solar generation in Missouri.
• Battery-storage projects are in the works for both solar and gas-fired plants.

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About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news, and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing, and energy-related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified, and verified plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).