Breakthrough Agreement with Ameren Will Accelerate Clean Energy & Cut Costs Through Smarter Grid Planning

Chicago, IL – The Citizens Utility Board (CUB), Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), and Environmental Law & Policy Center (ELPC) have reached a settlement with Ameren to integrate grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) into transmission planning in its service territory in Illinois, helping maximize customer benefits of Ameren’s transmission investments.  

Grid-enhancing technologies (GETs) are advanced hardware and software tools that can deliver many benefits, including slashing the time and cost needed to add renewable energy to the grid. GETs can save ratepayers money by increasing how much electricity the transmission system can deliver to customers, optimizing transmission so less electricity is wasted, and working with other technologies like battery storage that can increase reliability.  

These technologies can sometimes make new transmission lines unnecessary or be used in conjunction with new or existing lines to enhance overall grid performance. In other instances, GETs can help new transmission lines respond smarter and faster to network outages.  

Ameren had proposed its “Tranche 1” transmission project to address reliability challenges and support additional load growth, emphasizing the need to accommodate future clean energy interconnections. While these are all important goals, the groups noted that Ameren could provide more benefits for its customers at less cost by considering advanced transmission technologies. 

Under the settlement, Ameren would update its local transmission planning criteria and guidelines to include GETs and other technologies that make transmission lines more efficient, providing additional customer benefits. Ameren will also conduct annual reviews of its system to identify areas where GETs could enable new renewable resources to connect to the grid. This would create a new planning approach to support increasing loads while reducing costs for Ameren customers and ensuring more efficient use of grid resources. 

Nick Wallace, Senior Associate Attorney with ELPC, said:  

“This settlement bears the fruits of years of advocacy to make GETs a standard part of transmission planning. GETs have proven their ability to improve grid reliability, reduce costs for ratepayers, and increase the connection of new clean resources like wind and solar – delivering immediate and clear benefits for both consumers and the environment.” 

Sarah Moskowitz, Executive Director of Citizens Utility Board, said: 

“Grid-enhancing technologies are an absolute must for the success of the clean energy transition–saving money for everyday electricity customers, holding down costs for utilities, and strengthening reliability. This unique settlement – a win for both consumers and Ameren – can serve as a national model for wise, cost-effective transmission planning critical to building a clean, affordable energy future for all electric customers.” 

Curt Stokes, Senior Attorney with the Environmental Defense Fund, said: 

“Ratepayers will benefit from clean, low cost, reliable power as grid enhancing technologies unlock a smarter, more modern grid. We look forward to continuing to work with Ameren to find innovative ways to use technology to uncover customer savings when planning new transmission projects.”