Ameren Missouri is spending $13 million this year to upgrade natural gas infrastructure in Mid-Missouri, according to an Ameren spokesperson.
"We're doing some system upgrades and adding new mains right now on Hawood Street in Holts Summit," said Jeni Hagen, communications executive for Ameren. "We want it to be looped into the rest of the system."
She added New Bloomfield's natural gas system was upgraded last year, and more projects in the area could be planned in the near future.
Ameren's goal is to upgrade infrastructure and increase the reliability of the natural gas system in central Missouri.
"These projects strengthen the reliability of our growing natural gas system in central Missouri," said Pam Harrison, Ameren Missouri director of natural gas operations. "As these communities continue to develop, we're building a robust infrastructure to provide a reliable supply of natural gas to meet the growing energy needs of our residential and business customers."
Potential infrastructure improvements include:
Upgrading aging infrastructure with new polyethylene pipe.
Upgrading mains with larger gas mains to meet the demands of growing communities.
Looping the natural gas system together in some communities, allowing energy to be re-routed if necessary.