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MO — Power Infrastructure Updated January 2026

Missouri

Power generation, transmission, storage, PPAs, and interconnection topics relevant to data center power supply in Missouri.

MISO/SPP Natural Gas Nuclear Solar Wind Storage Data Center PPAs Queue Bottlenecks

Overview

Missouri is balancing reliability and renewables: Ameren Missouri is building 800 MW of natural gas backup capacity while targeting 5,400 MW of new wind and solar by the 2030s, with 800 MW of battery storage to help integrate the renewable fleet. The Grain Belt Express HVDC line will bring 5,000 MW of transfer capacity across Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. Google has already signed a 400 MW PPA tied to its Kansas City data center investment.

Generation Projects

Natural Gas

Ameren Missouri is adding dispatchable backup capacity to support renewables and meet peak demand.

  • Castle Bluff Energy Center: Ameren filed with the Missouri Public Service Commission to build an 800 MW simple-cycle plant for peak-load backup.[1]
  • Ameren 2023 IRP plan: The utility’s integrated resource plan calls for 800 MW of simple-cycle gas by 2027 and 1,200 MW of combined-cycle gas by 2032.[2]
  • Big Hollow Energy Center: Ameren proposed an 800 MW simple-cycle plant paired with a 400 MW battery facility, targeting 2028 approval and operation.[3]

Nuclear

Missouri has one operating nuclear plant and plans to keep it running long-term.

  • Callaway plant: The state’s single operating nuclear reactor, listed by the NRC, provides baseload power.[4]
  • License extension: Ameren’s 2023 IRP assumes the Callaway license will be extended to keep the plant in service through the 2030s.[2]

Solar

Ameren Missouri is building out a major solar pipeline to meet its 2030 renewables target.

  • Reform Renewable Energy Center: Ameren filed with the Missouri PSC to build a 250 MW solar facility with space designed for up to 250 MW of co-located battery storage.[5]
  • Four projects under construction: Ameren reports more than 400 MW of solar capacity under construction, expected to begin serving customers by the end of 2026.[5]
  • 2030 renewables target: The 2023 IRP targets 2,800 MW of new wind and solar by 2030, growing to 5,400 MW by the end of the decade.[2]

Wind

Wind is included in Ameren’s combined renewables buildout plan.

  • IRP wind additions: The 2023 IRP includes wind as part of the 2,800 MW wind-and-solar build by 2030, with a combined target of 5,400 MW wind and solar by the late 2030s.[2]

Transmission and Grid

Missouri sits at the junction of MISO and SPP territory and will see major transmission upgrades in both systems.

  • MISO Northern Missouri Corridor: MISO’s Long Range Transmission Plan Tranche 1 includes a 345 kV corridor with Orient-Fairport-Zachary-Maywood-Meredosia and Zachary-Thomas segments to relieve loading across Iowa, Missouri, and Illinois.[6]
  • Grain Belt Express HVDC line: An 800-mile high-voltage direct current line crossing Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana will add 5,000 MW of transfer capacity. The developer awarded $1.7 billion in construction contracts, with Phase 1 (Kansas-Missouri) targeting a 2026 construction start.[7]

Battery Storage

Ameren Missouri is planning 800 MW of utility-scale battery storage to pair with renewables and provide grid flexibility.

  • IRP storage target: The 2023 IRP includes 800 MW of new battery energy storage as part of the long-term resource plan.[2]
  • Big Hollow battery: The proposed Big Hollow Energy Center includes a 400 MW battery facility paired with the gas plant.[3]
  • Reform solar storage option: Ameren’s Reform solar site can host up to 250 MW of battery storage.[5]

Data Center Power Agreements

Google has secured a major PPA to support its Kansas City data center expansion.

  • Google 400 MW PPA: Google signed a 400 MW power purchase agreement with Ranger Power and DESRI tied to the Beavertail Solar project in Missouri, supporting its Kansas City data center investment.[8]

Interconnection Queue

Both SPP and MISO territory in Missouri face queue backlogs and extended study timelines.

  • SPP active queue (Evergy territory): SPP’s Generator Interconnection Active listing (updated January 7, 2026) shows 59 active Missouri requests totaling ~11.4 GW. Thirty-one projects are in DISIS (definitive interconnection system impact study) or Facility Study stages, indicating most are still awaiting study results and upgrade cost allocations.[9]
  • MISO queue delays (Ameren territory): MISO’s 2024 queue update notes that study cycles are taking 3-4 years versus the one-year tariff timeline, with restudies and backlog slowing new resource additions.[10]

What to Watch

  • Castle Bluff and Big Hollow approvals: Missouri PSC decisions on Ameren’s gas-and-battery projects will set the pace for dispatchable backup capacity.
  • Grain Belt Express Phase 1 construction: The 2026 construction start for the Kansas-Missouri segment of the 800-mile HVDC line is a major milestone for regional transmission capacity.
  • Interconnection queue reforms: Both MISO and SPP are working to speed up study cycles — watch for tariff changes that could accelerate Missouri’s 11+ GW queue.

Sources

[1] Ameren Corporation, “Ameren Missouri investing in reliable energy for when customers need it most,” press release, June 10, 2024, https://www.amereninvestors.com/investors/financial-releases/financial-releases-details/2024/Ameren-Missouri-investing-in-reliable-energy-for-when-customers-need-it-most/default.aspx (accessed January 8, 2026).

[2] Ameren Missouri, “2023 Integrated Resource Plan, Chapter 1: Executive Summary,” 2023, https://www.ameren.com/-/media/corporate-site/files/environment/irp/ch-1.ashx (accessed January 8, 2026).

[3] Darrell Proctor, “Missouri Utility Plans New 800-MW Gas-Fired Plant, Will Include Energy Storage,” POWER Magazine, July 5, 2025, https://www.powermag.com/missouri-utility-plans-new-800-mw-gas-fired-plant-will-include-energy-storage/ (accessed January 8, 2026).

[4] U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, “Missouri | NRC Facility Locator,” https://www.nrc.gov/info-finder/region-state/missouri.html (accessed January 8, 2026).

[5] Ameren Missouri, “Ameren Missouri plans new project as part of low-cost, balanced energy mix to serve customers,” press release, September 3, 2025, https://ameren.mediaroom.com/2025-09-03-Ameren-Missouri-plans-new-project-as-part-of-low-cost,-balanced-energy-mix-to-serve-customers (accessed January 8, 2026).

[6] Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), “MTEP21 Report Addendum: Long Range Transmission Planning Tranche 1,” 2022, https://cdn.misoenergy.org/MTEP21%20Addendum-LRTP%20Tranche%201%20Report%20with%20Executive%20Summary625790.pdf (accessed January 8, 2026).

[7] Grain Belt Express (Invenergy), “Grain Belt Express Awards $1.7B to U.S. Contractors Quanta and Kiewit to Build Largest Transmission Line in U.S. History,” Kiewit Newsroom, May 7, 2025, https://newsroom.kiewit.com/in-the-media/grain-belt-express-awards-1-7b-to-u-s-contractors-quanta-and-kiewit-to-build-largest-transmission-line-in-u-s-history/ (accessed January 8, 2026).

[8] Missouri Partnership, “Google Announces $1 Billion Data Center In Kansas City, Missouri,” March 20, 2024, https://missouripartnership.com/google-announces-1-billion-data-center-in-kansas-city-missouri/ (accessed January 8, 2026).

[9] Southwest Power Pool, “Generator Interconnection Active Request Listing (GIActive) and CSV download,” last updated January 7, 2026, https://opsportal.spp.org/Studies/GIActive and https://opsportal.spp.org/Studies/GenerateActiveCSV (accessed January 8, 2026).

[10] Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), “Generator Interconnection Queue Update,” System Planning Committee of the Board of Directors, December 10, 2024, https://cdn.misoenergy.org/20241210%20System%20Planning%20Committee%20of%20the%20BOD%20Item%2004%20Generator%20Interconnection%20Queue%20Update665714.pdf (accessed January 8, 2026).