Bill important for utility upgrades

As a resident of Southeast Missouri and a division director for Ameren Missouri, I have a vested interest in Senate Bill 190 and the effort to create jobs for our community, while modernizing the electric grid for customers.

Much of the equipment that brings electricity to our homes is reaching the end of its service life. And while Ameren Missouri is spending an average of $800 million a year to upgrade the energy grid, more needs to be done to ensure we continue to provide dependable electricity.

One of my functions at work is to maintain reliability for customers, and it has become more difficult to maintain the level of reliability that our customers deserve. Older equipment requires more repair costs and time to maintain. Newer equipment is more reliable, leading to fewer outages and more stable service. Newer equipment provides energy more efficiently, leading to greater production of electricity at a cheaper cost to customers.

Many times, customers think upgrading equipment will result in substantial increases in rates. With SB 190 that is not the case. Customers will see double the return on investments made versus costs. And SB 190 includes rate caps, oversight from the PSC and as other states, which have modernized their grids have seen, a possible decrease in rates.

SB 190 will enable utilities to invest in equipment upgrades at a faster pace, while creating jobs for our state, including jobs in Southeast Missouri.

I encourage you to support this important legislation.

RUSS BURGER, director of Ameren, Missouri,

Cape Girardeau