Empire District Electric to phase out coal, add 800 MW of wind in Missouri

Missouri utility Empire District Electric, part of Canada’s Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp (TSE:AQN), has filed a proposal to install 800 MW of wind turbines by end-2020 as it plans to move away from coal-fired power generation.

In a filing with the Missouri Public Service Commission last week, the company is seeking approval to build wind farms in or near its service territory by using federal tax incentives and forming an equity partnership. The move is made ahead of the planned retiring of Empire District’s Asbury coal-fired power plant and is expected to bring up to USD 325 million (EUR 279.3m) in customer savings over the next 20 years.

According to a report by the Joplin Globe, the utility plans to take advantage of USD 800 million in government incentives under the USD-1.5-billion project. It will take part with an investment of USD 700 million.

Last month, Empire District issued a request for proposals (RfP) in order to identify potential projects under the scheme. To be developed under the build-own-transfer (BOT) model, the proposed plants should have a minimum capacity of 100 MW.

The utility said it is also seeking approval for customer savings plans in the states of Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas. According to media reports, it has already obtained over 40,000 acres (16,187 ha) of land in Jasper, Barton, Dade and Lawrence where wind turbines could be constructed.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.859)

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