ST. LOUIS (July 2, 2019) – Ameren Missouri has begun construction on projects to reduce the number of outages and speed power restoration for thousands of business and residential customers in St. Louis County, including three critical medical facilities.
Part of Ameren Missouri's Smart Energy Plan, the projects include upgrading 10.5 miles of power lines, installing nearly 200 new utility poles and building a new state-of-the-art substation in Creve Coeur.
The upgrades will increase service reliability to Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Mercy Hospital St. Louis, St. Louis Children's Hospital Specialty Care Center and more than 6,000 local residents and businesses in Rock Hill, Manchester, Frontenac, Ladue, Brentwood, and Town and Country.
Work on the $13.7 million initiative is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019.
"High winds can wreak havoc on aging power lines and utility poles," said Kevin Anders, vice president of operations and technical services for Ameren Missouri. "We recognize that even momentary outages can adversely affect critical infrastructure, such as medical facilities, so we are replacing several lines and poles in the area and installing a new substation. These upgrades will harden the energy grid against severe weather, decreasing the likelihood and length of future service interruptions."
"Improved service reliability is a win for everyone in this area – medical facilities and residents alike," said Julie Bruns, director of the St. Louis Children's Hospital Specialty Care Center. The 141,000 square foot space focuses on child and adolescent health care, outpatient surgery needs and is a vital newcomer to the area. "For us, the upgrades mean we can remain focused on delivering the best patient care and doing what is right for kids."
Upgrades include:
The Smart Energy Plan, announced in February, is the largest infrastructure upgrade plan in Ameren Missouri's history and was made possible by the passage of Senate Bill 564 last year by the Missouri General Assembly. The plan includes a $5.3 billion capital investment in more than 2,000 electric projects across Missouri. It also includes a $1 billion investment in wind generation to continue Ameren Missouri's transition to using cleaner, renewable energy sources, which will help to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050. The projects will also accelerate smart energy infrastructure and create thousands of direct and indirect jobs for Missouri workers.
Customers can learn more about the Smart Energy Plan at AmerenMissouri.com/SmartEnergyPlan.
Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years, and the company's electric rates are among the lowest in the nation. Ameren Missouri's mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 127,000 natural gas customers in central and eastern Missouri. The company's service area covers 64 counties and more than 500 communities, including the greater St. Louis area. For more information, visit Ameren.com/Missouri or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenMissouri or Facebook.com/AmerenMissouri.
For 140 years, St. Louis Children's Hospital has provided exceptional care for children in all 50 states and 80 countries around the world. With its academic partner, Washington University School of Medicine, Children’s is consistently ranked among the nation’s best pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report. A member of BJC HealthCare, St. Louis Children’s Hospital follows one simple mission – to do what’s right for kids. That mission comes to life through medical discovery, innovative therapies and compassionate care. In 2018, Children's expanded with a state-of-the-art, 12-story medical tower. Children’s relies on generous donors to deliver specialized care for families in need, extend health care services to the community, and pursue research that promises to transform pediatric medicine. To find out more, visit StLouisChildrens.org, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.