Ameren Missouri has filed an updated $8.4bn smart energy plan and budget with the Missouri Public Service Commission.

The plan supports grid modernisation efforts over the next five years, including installation of more than one million smart meters, more renewable generation, programmes to stimulate economic growth for communities across Missouri, and infrastructure upgrades that bolster reliability while enabling clean energy generation.

“The smart energy plan is preparing our region for the future while making energy more reliable for families and businesses today,” said Marty Lyons, president of Ameren Missouri. “We have made great progress in the first two years of this plan. These upgrades provide state-of-the-art technology and support our commitment to maintaining reliability as we transition to cleaner energy, including our ambitious goal to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.”

Ameren Missouri recently completed the purchase of its first two wind facilities and is now the largest operator of wind generation in the state. The company has plans to expand its wind and solar generation over the coming years.

As homes now double as workplaces and schools, even a short outage is critical. Currently in its third year of implementation, the smart energy plan progress includes smart technology that can rapidly detect outages and restore service in seconds, as well as storm-resilient utility poles, power lines and underground cables designed to protect users from outages during severe weather.

These investments have already provided more dependability throughout challenging conditions, such as the wind storm that swept through parts of the midwest this past summer, resulting in 78,000 Ameren Missouri users without power in St Louis countyand other communities. Despite the extensive damage from the storm, smart technology enabled Ameren Missouri to detect rapidly which areas faced an outage and reroute power to 50,000 customers that night.

Ameren Missouri also is installing smart electric meters for all its customers. The meters provide more convenience, choice and control to choose rates that fit their lifestyles and potentially save on their energy bills. The smart meter rollout began in St Charles county during summer 2020, and the company will upgrade approximately 1.2 million electric meters by 2024.

Smart energy projects are supporting Missouri’s economy by creating jobs and using local suppliers. For example, in Washington, Missouri, a new substation includes transformers built by local manufacturer WEG Transformers. These transformers will increase energy capacity for the area, allowing more businesses to grow and have reliable power. In total, 57% of smart energy plan vendors are Missouri based.

While upgrading the electric grid, Ameren has been able to keep rates stable and affordable for its customers, with rates more than 20% below the average electric rates in the midwest, according to the Edison Electric Institute’s Typical Bills & Average Rates Report.

Ameren Missouri has completed thousands of projects statewide to transform the grid and bring increased benefits to customers. These included, in 2020, the installation of more than 200 smart equipment switches to reduce outages from hours to minutes and even seconds. This technology has improved reliability up to 40%. There are 14 new or upgraded substations to serve communities. And 133,000 smart meters deliver more precise energy use information and offer flexibility to pay less when demand for energy is lower.

Last year’s investments in infrastructure will result in an estimated $10m in increased tax revenue for local communities in 2021.

“The smart energy plan is about building a better energy grid that will serve our customers for many decades,” said Lyons. “It’s an important step on our path to leading the way to a more sustainable energy future.”

Ameren Missouri has been providing electric and gas service for more than 100 years. Its mission is to power the quality of life for its 1.2 million electric and 132,000 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.