Upgraded substations will offer greater service reliability for customers and will meet growing energy needs long into the future. With fewer repairs and maintenance, these new substations save you money and will leave a smaller environmental footprint. In 2019, we upgraded or installed 13 substations.
After energy is generated, it's sent to substations through transmission lines. Substations convert the energy to a lower voltage and send electricity to homes and businesses through distribution lines.
Upgraded substations and switchyards will offer greater service reliability for customers and will meet growing energy needs long into the future. Substations are built with new smart automated sensors and switches that create a self-healing system that more rapidly detects and isolates damage, speeding power restoration.
Energy is generated at power plants, wind turbines and solar panels and sent onto the transmission system. This energy is transferred along the transmission lines to areas where the electricity is needed. Once the electricity arrives at a substation, it is changed to a lower voltage to be carried by smaller power lines which distribute energy to homes and businesses.
Upgraded substations will offer greater service reliability for customers and will meet growing energy needs long into the future. The substations are built with new smart automated sensors and switches to create a self-healing system that more rapidly detects and isolates damage, speeding power restoration.
Energy is generated at power plants, wind turbines and solar panels and sent onto the transmission system. This energy is transferred along the transmission lines to areas where the electricity is needed. Once the electricity arrives at a substation, it is changed to a lower voltage to be carried by smaller power lines which distribute energy to homes and businesses.
The Beehive substation is currently being built near Dupo, Illinois as part of the Metro South Reliability Project and will connect to Ameren's regional transmission system.
As part of the Metro South Reliability Project, Ameren Missouri vegetation crews will need to trim or remove trees and other vegetation along existing right-of-way. Crews are out reviewing and marking incompatible vegetation located within the easement area.
What is this necessary?
What exactly are crews doing?
Why can’t crews just shape the trees?
The directional pruning method used by Ameren removes only those branches that conflict with power lines. Rather than cutting limbs back to unsightly and unnatural stubs, branches are pruned back to the center of the trunk where trees normally shed them.
What happens to the brush and debris removed from the trees?
Crews normally remove the debris from the property unless other arrangements are made with the property owner to leave the debris.
What can I do to prevent my trees from being trimmed in the future?
If you are planting a tree in the future make sure to avoid planting trees directly beneath power lines or too close to electrical equipment, consider planting trees of a slower growth or limited height variety and always check for overhead and underground utility lines before planting trees.
Following the real estate process and surveys, our team will begin construction, including the development of roads to access the project right-of-way. We will coordinate with residents, businesses, stakeholders and our contractors before, during and after construction.
Construction activities for this project are illustrated below, though they may vary depending on project needs.
Clear right-of-way & survey structure locations
Auger holes & pour foundations
Assemble structures on the ground
Lift & place structure on foundation
String wires
Energize line & restore easement
Our project team is committed to helping businesses and residents before, during and after construction. We’ll continue to listen to your input and concerns. While we always do our best to minimize impacts during construction, some temporary impacts may occur:
Please continue to drive through the area with caution and keep an eye out for our construction crews and equipment. The current COVID-19 situation has demanded everyone to be more diligent in ensuring safety for all. As a reminder, Ameren Missouri is asking the public to maintain a safe social distance of 6-feet while work crews are upgrading the energy infrastructure. Working together, we can make a difference and help limit the spread of coronavirus.
Access to homes and businesses will remain open at all times during construction. There may be instances when contractors need to temporarily close an intersection or driveway access. Ameren will coordinate access with residents and businesses in advance of these closures and crews will have posted detours to direct traffic.
Ameren Missouri is rebuilding approximately 10 miles of 138,000-volt transmission line in St. Louis County and in the City of St. Louis. The new line will be built in three segments in order to connect the Watson Substation to the Lemay Substation, and cross the Mississippi River to a final destination in Dupo, Illinois.
This project provides an even more reliable energy grid that uses smart technology and incorporates new clean sources of energy now and into the future.
Improves
grid reliability
Meets
local energy needs
Promotes
cleaner energy sources
This rebuilt line will improve grid reliability, meet lcal energy needs, and promote cleaner energy sources. Learn more about the needs of the project in the video below.
Our project team hosted two open houses in fall 2018 to give residents, stakeholders and other community members the opportunity to learn about the project and impacts to their specific property, talk with real estate agents and speak one-on-one with project staff.
Thank you to those that participated in our previous engagement opportunities!
In general, the rebuilt line will be located on Ameren Missouri's existing right-of-way in the similar location as the current line is today. In some instances, Ameren may need to purchase new access easements along areas of the project. A real estate agent from Ameren will contact landowners if new easements are required on their property.
The term right-of-way or ROW is typically a strip of land used for a specific purpose such as the construction, operation and maintenance of a road or utilities such as a transmission line. This means that certain items located in Ameren’s right-of-way need to be addressed before construction begins. Common items needing to be addressed include:
To protect the safety and reliability of our community’s energy system, the existing right-of-way will be cleared prior to construction.
In general, the land can continue to be used as it was before construction, provided that the use does not interfere with the construction, operation and maintenance of the transmission line. Some examples of allowable uses include gardens and trees less than 10 feet tall and not within 20 feet of a structure. We encourage landowners to contact an Ameren land agent to discuss activities permitted in the ROW.
We will be discussing right-of-way with residents and businesses prior to construction. There may be instances where personal property will need to be removed from the right-of-way area. A land agent will work through this process with property owners adjacent to the line.
If you think you might have property located on Ameren’s right-of-way, we recommend contacting our right-of-way agents to review your specific property and discuss your options.
Contact a right-of-way agent today! Email us at metrosouthreliabilityproject.com or leave a message on our hotline 314-380-3081 and a project representative will follow up to set up a meeting.
Do you have a question or comment? Let us know!
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