Missouri Approves First-of-Its-Kind Energy Facility to Boost Reliability

Ameren Missouri's Big Hollow Energy Center combines natural gas and battery storage to enhance grid stability

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The Missouri Public Service Commission has approved Ameren Missouri's plan to build the Big Hollow Energy Center, a first-of-its-kind hybrid energy facility that will integrate an 800-megawatt natural gas plant with a 400-megawatt lithium-ion battery storage system. This innovative project is designed to strengthen energy reliability across the state by providing rapid-response backup power during periods of high demand.

Why it matters

The Big Hollow Energy Center represents a significant step forward in Missouri's efforts to modernize its energy infrastructure and enhance grid stability. By pairing natural gas generation with large-scale battery storage, the facility will be able to quickly respond to fluctuations in energy demand, helping to ensure reliable service for homes, businesses, and industry across the state.

The details

The Big Hollow Energy Center will be located in Jefferson County, Missouri and is expected to be operational by 2028. The natural gas portion of the facility will be designed to deliver power during periods of peak demand, such as extreme weather events, while the battery storage system will provide fast-acting support to the grid when renewable energy generation is unavailable. Ameren Missouri plans to add 1,000 MW of battery storage by 2030 and a total of 1,800 MW across multiple sites by 2042.

  • The Missouri Public Service Commission approved the project on February 11, 2026.
  • The Big Hollow Energy Center is expected to be operational and serving customers beginning in 2028.

The players

Ameren Missouri

A subsidiary of Ameren Corporation and the electric and natural gas utility serving customers across Missouri.

Michael Moehn

Group president of Ameren Utilities at Ameren Corporation.

Ajay Arora

Senior vice president and chief development officer at Ameren Missouri.

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What they’re saying

“Today's decision allows us to advance an investment that supports reliability for all of our customers.”

— Michael Moehn, Group president, Ameren Utilities of Ameren Corporation (PRNewswire)

“Big Hollow adds flexibility and resilience to the energy system that serves customers across Missouri.”

— Ajay Arora, Senior vice president and chief development officer at Ameren Missouri (PRNewswire)

What’s next

With regulatory approval in place, Ameren Missouri will begin construction on the Big Hollow Energy Center, with the goal of having the facility operational and serving customers by 2028.

The takeaway

The Big Hollow Energy Center represents a innovative approach to enhancing energy reliability in Missouri, combining natural gas generation and large-scale battery storage to provide rapid-response backup power and support the state's growing energy needs.