|
Future Generation to Meet Our Customer Needs
Related to the topic of the environmental
report is the question of Ameren’s next
addition of baseload generation—the “workhorse”
plants that operate virtually year-round,
24 hours a day, so that Ameren’s
customers have the power they need,
when they need it.

In February 2008, AmerenUE filed an
integrated resource plan with the Missouri
Public Service Commission. It was developed
with significant stakeholder input from a
broad spectrum of organizations. This plan details how the company expects to supply
safe, reliable electricity in coming years, while
protecting the environment.

In summary, the plan recommends aggressively
pursuing energy efficiency programs,
expanding the role of renewable energy,
increasing operational efficiency at existing
plants, and evaluating a range of options for
new baseload generating facilities.

We will study a wide range of technologies
to meet our customers’ energy needs in the
future, including advanced coal technologies
and nuclear power. As a result of the long
time required to design, license and build a
baseload power plant, this year we expect
to file a construction and operating license
application with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission
for a new nuclear unit at our Callaway site.

While this does not mean we have made a final
decision to add a second unit at Callaway, it
preserves that option for us.
Optimizing Our Power Generation Business
In our non-rate-regulated generation operations,
we continued, in 2007, to invest in our plants
to improve their productivity, as well as to
effectively market the power they produce.
|