Ameren Energy Plan Needs Improvement

St. Louis, MO -- Ameren Missouri, the state’s largest monopoly electric utility, released its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) today that details how it will meet energy demand for the next twenty years and beyond. The IRP is mandated by the Public Service Commission (PSC), which regulates monopoly utilities like Ameren. Part of the announcement includes a significant addition of 3,100MW of renewable energy by 2030 and another 2,300MW following 2030. Ameren also makes a commitment for reaching net-zero carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.  

Two of Ameren’s coal plants, Sioux and Rush Island, had their retirement dates accelerated by five years with no update for the retirement of the Labadie coal plant, which is the largest coal plant in the country without modern pollution controls. Just last year a judge ruled that Ameren operated the Rush Island coal plant in violation of the Clean Air Act for more than a decade. An expert witness in the case hired by the United States Department of Justice determined emissions violations caused up to 800 premature deaths over nine years. Ameren is appealing the judge’s order to add modern pollution controls to its Rush Island and Labadie coal plants to make up for years of Clean Air Act violations. 

Sierra Club will continue to engage in the IRP process as it moves from internal planning at Ameren to a more public forum before the PSC for review. Creating a more transparent planning process is one way to achieve better equity in how the utility does business. It is not too late for Ameren to change its IRP following stakeholder input. 

Andy Knott is a Senior Campaign Representative for Sierra Club's Beyond Coal Campaign:

“Ameren’s IRP is a gradual step in the right direction, but it doesn’t go far enough to address the climate crisis we’re experiencing now. Adding 3,100MW of renewable energy by 2030 will only get Ameren to about 25% of its total energy production from renewable sources. Sierra Club recently called on Ameren to reach 100% clean energy by 2030 to improve public health, use its clean energy transition to help address systemic racism in the region, and avert the worst impacts of our ever-present climate crisis. 

“While accelerating the retirement dates for two of its coal plants is positive, Ameren makes no change to its retirement date for its Labadie coal plant, the largest coal plant in the country without modern pollution controls. Given that Ameren says this IRP provides it with “significant and important flexibility” regarding its long-range capacity, the utility could accelerate the retirement of all its coal plants by 2030. We’d also like to see more concrete details for how Ameren gets to net-zero emissions by 2050. 

“Regarding the IRP process itself, we hope Ameren will be more transparent in the future, as current involvement requires signing non-disclosure agreements that limit community engagement. That’s one reason we will request a hearing with the Missouri Public Service Commission, so more stakeholders are heard in the IRP process. 

“Any good news in this IRP should be tempered by the actions Ameren is taking now, or has taken since its last IRP was released, that harm its customers and contribute to injustice. Ameren disconnected 5,000 customers in August and is forecasted to turn off power for 7,000 customers each month through the end of the year; during a global pandemic and economic crisis. The IRP doesn’t change the fact that, over the last three years, Ameren spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in a dark money effort to erode environmental and public health safeguards at the Environmental Protection Agency while pushing to keep toxic coal waste in vulnerable areas like floodplains. Overall, Ameren needs improvement.”