The utility company Ameren Missouri submitted to the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC) a proposed long-term power plan that clearly moves toward greater reliance on fossil fuels to meet anticipated demand, including demand associated with data centers. If the commission approves the plan, the company will add 5,400 megawatts of gas-fired electricity generation capacity by 2032, an increase of 1,700 megawatts compared with the previous plan.
At the same time, the plan includes reduced investment in renewable energy sources and delays to the closure of several coal plants. Ameren also removed its carbon dioxide emissions reduction target from promotional materials associated with the new power plan, according to the published article.
What changed in the plan?
- Canceling new investments in wind power before 2030 and reducing total wind investments by 500 megawatts.
- Delaying the closure of the Sioux plant from a timeframe between 2031 and 2035 to 2035.
- Delaying the closure of two units at the Labadie plant by six years, from 2036 to 2042.
- Reducing solar power investments before 2030 from 2,200 to 1,300 megawatts, a reduction of 900 megawatts.
- Increasing new gas-fired generation capacity to 5,400 megawatts by 2032.
The article states that, according to Sierra Club, the Labadie plant is the deadliest coal plant in the United States. It also indicates that Ameren justified its larger investments in gas by citing recent severe weather conditions, while Sierra Club believes that expanding gas use and extending coal operations could increase climate risks locally.
Why does this news matter to the data center sector?
The plan highlights the growing tension between the expansion of digital infrastructure and the source of electricity that will power it. Increasing data center capacity is not only about providing additional generation capacity; it also determines the energy mix used and its implications for emissions, fuel costs, and public health. According to the source, greater reliance on gas could expose customers to price volatility, while continued coal operations could prolong the environmental impact of aging plants.
Sierra Club also criticizes the plan because Ameren acknowledged in previous years that it does not include the public health effects of generation investments in its assessments, nor does it account for the impact of emissions leaked during the extraction and transportation of natural gas, most of which is methane. These points are presented in the environmental organization’s position and are not an independent ruling issued by the Public Service Commission.
Next step
The plan remains a proposal before the Missouri Public Service Commission, and therefore the new generation mix has not yet become a final decision. Its consideration comes as President Trump’s administration proposes repealing what is known as the Endangerment Finding, the regulatory basis used to control greenhouse gas emissions under the Clean Air Act. Ameren’s final position on the environmental objections and the outcome of the commission’s review were not included in the source article.