Ameren's data center plan could raise rates by $22M yearly

ST. LOUIS - Ameren's proposal for a new data center could raise electric bills for Missouri customers by about $22 million a year, according to a staff report from the Missouri Public Service Commission.

Utility regulators recommend the Public Service Commission reject Ameren's proposal, saying that it would raise rates for existing customers while benefiting company shareholders.

The proposal is part of Ameren’s larger effort prompted by a new state law requiring utilities to create special rates for data centers, which are expected to have energy demands that are unparalleled to what we have seen in previous years.

With such high demands, the regulatory report states that the infrastructure required to support these data centers could cost over $1 billion for a single large load custo