Ameren Names its First Chief Renewable Development Officer

Ajay Arora to lead clean energy strategy in newly created position

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Dec 07, 2020, 14:15 ET

ST. LOUIS, Dec. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- To reinforce the company's focus and commitment to renewable energy, Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE) today named Ajay Arora as the company's first chief renewable development officer, a newly created position reporting to Marty Lyons, chairman and president of Ameren Missouri. The appointment is effective Dec. 16, 2020.

In his new role Arora will focus on implementing Ameren Missouri's transformational generation plan incorporating cleaner energy sources. This includes providing leadership, oversight and coordination of generation resource planning including renewable energy resource and energy storage development, as well as thought leadership on renewable energy policy at the federal, state and local levels; and strategic planning for all renewable energy and environmental matters. Arora will also continue to lead the Ameren Missouri environmental services team associated with the operation and maintenance of energy centers and the energy delivery system.

Arora, a resident of Chesterfield, Mo., is a 22-year veteran of Ameren. He has served as Ameren's vice president of power operations and energy management since 2018. Before this position, Arora was vice president of environmental services and generation resource planning. He has also directed the corporate planning, corporate development, market risk management and the corporate project oversight groups at Ameren.

In September 2020, Ameren established a net-zero carbon emissions goal by 2050 across all its operations in Missouri and Illinois. This new, more aggressive goal reflects the company's leadership and continued commitment to clean energy and the environment. Milestones include reducing carbon emissions 50% by 2030 and 85% by 2040, based on 2005 levels. The new goals accelerate and expand on the company's 2017 pledge and are consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement and limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Arora will lead execution of Ameren Missouri's Integrated Resource Plan, which includes the largest-ever expansion of clean solar and wind generation while maintaining the reliability and affordability that customers have come to expect. Under the plan, the company plans to add 3,100 megawatts (MW) of renewable generation by 2030 and a total of 5,400 MW by 2040.

Arora is a member of the prestigious Eisenhower Fellowships, and is involved with the Board committees at the Ronald McDonald House Charities. He graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans with a master's degree in business administration and from Punjab University with a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering.

About Ameren Corporation

St. Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life for 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area through its Ameren Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries. Ameren Illinois provides electric transmission and distribution service and natural gas distribution service. Ameren Missouri provides electric service generation, transmission and distribution services, as well as natural gas distribution service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois develops, owns and operates rate-regulated electric transmission projects. For more information, visit Ameren.com, or follow us on Twitter at @AmerenCorp, Facebook.com/AmerenCorp, or LinkedIn.com/company/Ameren.

SOURCE Ameren Corporation