Ameren Missouri breaks ground on nearly $21M operating center in North St. Louis

Ameren Missouri recently announced plans to construct a new $20.7 million operating center for its electric operations serving North St. Louis and surrounding communities.

The North Metro Operating Center will replace the adjacent Geraldine Operating Center.

Construction of the new facility will require approximately 500 workers and 20 suppliers, including Ameren Missouri employees, local union contractors, and subcontractors. The project is expected to be completed by December 2020 and will accommodate close to 70 employees.

“Ameren Missouri is committed to creating stronger communities where we work and live, which is why we are reinvesting in North St. Louis by building the new North Metro Operating Center next door to our current facility,” Michael Moehn, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri, said. “The new, larger facility was needed to continue to meet our customers’ service reliability needs in North St. Louis and surrounding communities. A project of this magnitude requires collaboration and partnership with a number of stakeholders, including local government officials, community leaders, and a host of diverse contractors.”

The North Metro Operating Center will consist of a 19,600-square-foot office building for administrative offices and crew area, a 26,000-square-foot open truck shelter for 42 trucks, a 6,400-square-foot storage building, and a 4,400-square-foot three-sided trailer storage building.

Ameren Missouri is constructing the project through a joint partnership with its general contractors, PARIC Corporation, and KAI Enterprises.

The North Metro Operating Center project is part of Ameren Missouri’s Smart Energy Plan. As part of the plan, Ameren Missouri will invest approximately $5.3 billion in upgrades to the electric grid to reduce outages and reduce carbon emissions.

Ameren Missouri also plans to invest $193 million, in addition to the $20.7 million North Metro Operating Center, to improve the energy delivery system in the Archview Division, which includes North St. Louis. These investments will include building new substations, installing new utility poles, and adding smart, automated equipment to reduce the likelihood and length of outages.