Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation, has announced plans to develop a new solar energy project, the 250-megawatt Reform Renewable Energy Center, designed to provide electricity for approximately 44,000 homes and create around 300 construction jobs. The proposed solar facility will be located next to Ameren Missouri’s existing Callaway Energy Center, a nuclear-powered plant in central Missouri. The company has filed a proposal with the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC), and pending approval, construction is expected to begin next year, with the project ready to serve customers in 2028.
The Reform Renewable Energy Center is expected to have a significant economic impact on the community. At its peak, the construction phase will create around 300 high-quality jobs and generate demand for local suppliers and services. Once operational, permanent positions will be available for ongoing maintenance and operations. Mark Birk, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri, highlighted that the new project builds on over 40 years of reliable energy from Callaway.
He emphasized that Reform will contribute to a balanced energy mix, with approximately 70 percent of electricity coming from on-demand sources and 30 percent from intermittent sources, helping ensure both reliability and affordability for customers. Ameren Missouri owns the land for the proposed facility and the associated transmission interconnection, which is expected to reduce construction time and costs. The project also benefits from tax incentives due to its location within an energy community, offering additional value to customers.
Ajay Arora, senior vice president and chief development officer at Ameren Missouri, stated that the Reform project will provide benefits not only to customers but also to the local communities and the state as a whole. The site has the potential to host up to 250 MW of energy storage, and Ameren Missouri may apply in the future to install batteries to store excess solar energy for use during peak demand periods.
The Reform project is part of a broader effort by Ameren Missouri to strengthen long-term energy reliability. Other initiatives include the Castle Bluff Energy Center, set to provide backup power during peak demand by 2027, and the Big Hollow Energy Center, Ameren Missouri’s first hybrid natural gas and battery storage facility, planned for 2028 pending approval. Additionally, four solar projects totaling over 400 MW are currently under construction and expected to start serving customers by the end of next year, complementing three solar sites that began operation at the end of 2024 and currently supply enough power for 92,000 homes annually.
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