Spoon River Transmission Project Receives Final Approval from Illinois Commerce Commission

Project Will Improve Reliability and Provide Access to Renewable Energy

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Sep 17, 2015, 04:44 ET

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 17, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI), a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE), has received a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity from the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) authorizing construction of the Spoon River Transmission Project, including approval of a final route for the transmission line. This transmission project, estimated to cost approximately $150 million, is directly aligned with Ameren's goals of providing reliable, efficient and environmentally responsible energy.

"Today's action by the ICC is welcome news for Illinois," said Maureen Borkowski, chairman and president of ATXI. "This project will benefit the state's economy, create jobs and provide Illinois electricity customers greater access to lower-cost energy and electricity from renewable sources, such as wind energy. It also will improve transmission system reliability in and around the project area."

The 345,000-volt transmission line, using single-shaft steel poles, will span 46 miles in Illinois between Galesburg and Peoria, with an in-service date anticipated in 2018. Line construction is expected to commence in late 2016 and is estimated to support approximately 100 construction jobs.

The project previously received approval in 2011 from the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc., a regional transmission organization serving a 15-state region and the Canadian province of Manitoba.

For more information on the project, visit SpoonRiverTransmission.com.

Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ameren Corporation dedicated to electric transmission infrastructure investment, expanding Ameren's already robust transmission system of more than 7,500 circuit miles of high-voltage transmission lines in Illinois and Missouri.

About Ameren
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 and natural gas delivery service while Ameren Missouri provides vertically integrated electric service, with generating capacity of 10,200 megawatts, and natural gas delivery service. Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois develops regional electric transmission projects. Follow the company on Twitter @AmerenCorp. For more information, visit Ameren.com.

SOURCE Ameren Corporation