The Reform Renewable Energy Center is a 250 MW solar facility located in Callaway County, Missouri, beside the Callaway nuclear plant owned by Ameren Missouri. The Missouri Public Service Commission granted the certificate of convenience and necessity in May 2026, according to KBIA reporting, allowing the utility to build, own and operate the plant and a new 345 kV switching station.
Reform Renewable Energy Center Joins a Wider Missouri Solar Push
Completion of the Reform Renewable Energy Center is targeted for 2028, the same year Clearway expects its 650 MW Swan Energy Center in Bates County to start operating, although no groundbreaking at Reform has been confirmed. Ameren Missouri has since asked regulators to approve a further 400 MW of solar and 545 MW of storage.
Project Overview
- Project Name: Reform Renewable Energy Center (also called the Reform Solar Project)
- Location: Adjacent to the Callaway Energy Center, Callaway County, Missouri
- Capacity: 250 MW
- Project Value: Not publicly disclosed; the switching station is estimated at $17.2 million in Ameren Missouri’s application
- Owner: Ameren Missouri
- Main Contractor: McCarthy Building Companies, under an engineering, procurement and construction contract cited in Ameren Missouri’s filing
- Key Components: Solar generation facility and the 345 kV Odyssey Switching Station
- Construction Start: Anticipated for the second quarter of 2026 in the filing; groundbreaking not publicly confirmed
- Expected Completion: 2028
- Strategic Impact: Power for about 44,000 homes, according to Ameren Missouri; the site can host up to 250 MW of storage subject to separate approval
Project Team
- Owner and Developer: Ameren Missouri
- EPC Contractor: McCarthy Building Companies
- Regulator: Missouri Public Service Commission
- Agreement Signatory: Renew Missouri Advocates
- Related Project Developer, Swan Energy Center: Clearway Energy Group
Missouri, September 3, 2025–Ameren Missouri, a subsidiary of Ameren Corporation, has unveiled a proposal to construct the 250-megawatt (MW) Reform Renewable Energy Center, a new low-cost solar plant that can power 44,000 homes and create approximately 300 construction jobs. The company filed a proposal with the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC), and construction is to commence next year with the project set to go live in 2028.
The Reform Renewable Energy Center will be located adjacent to Ameren’s existing Callaway Energy Center in mid-Missouri. Like Callaway, the project is expected to be an economic driver, generating demand for local vendors and services, temporary jobs during construction, and full-time operations and maintenance jobs once the plant is up and running.
“For more than 40 years, Callaway Energy Center has provided Missouri with a consistent source of electricity, and this new endeavor will produce additional locally generated energy,” said Ameren Missouri Chairman and President Mark Birk. “Reform will allow us to move toward a balanced energy mix of about 70% from on-demand and 30% from intermittent sources, with customers enjoying the reliability and affordability they want most.”
Ameren Missouri owns land for the proposed facility and interconnection, which should reduce construction time and expense. The project also qualifies for tax credits because it is in an energy community zone, giving customers extra value.
“The Reform project benefits our customers, the communities we serve, and the state as a whole,” said Ameren Missouri senior vice president and chief development officer Ajay Arora. The site is designed to host up to 250 MW of energy storage, with battery additions that store excess energy and return it to the grid during peak demand hours.
Ameren Missouri is developing more project
Along with Reform, Ameren Missouri is developing several projects to ensure long-term energy reliability. The Castle Bluff Energy Center, which is being targeted in 2027 online, will provide standby power during peak hours. The Big Hollow Energy Center, under review and being targeted for 2028, will be the company’s first hybrid plant that uses natural gas and battery storage. Additionally under development are four solar plants with a combined capacity of more than 400 MW, under construction and set to be operational by the close of next year, in addition to three recently commissioned solar plants, which collectively generate power sufficient for electrifying 92,000 houses annually.
Ameren Missouri’s Reform project adds to a surging number of renewable energy projects in the state. On September 3, 2025, Arevon Energy closed a $250 million tax equity commitment from Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. for its two-phase, 430-megawatt (MWdc) Kelso Solar Project in Scott County.
Ameren Missouri Reform Renewable Energy Center: Project Factsheet
Project Overview
Project Name: Reform Renewable Energy Center
Developer: Ameren Missouri (subsidiary of Ameren Corporation)
Technology: Solar photovoltaic facility
Capacity: 250 megawatts (MW)
Expected Online Date: 2028
Construction Start: 2025 (expected)
Project Location
Site: Adjacent to existing Callaway Energy Center, central Missouri
Land Ownership: Ameren Missouri owns the proposed site
Transmission: Existing interconnection infrastructure owned by Ameren Missouri
Energy Output & Impact
Power Generation: Capable of powering approximately 44,000 homes
Energy Storage Capability: Site designed to accommodate up to 250 MW of battery storage (future installation planned)
Grid Integration: Will contribute to Ameren Missouri’s balanced energy mix target of 70% on-demand and 30% intermittent sources
Economic Benefits
Construction Jobs: Approximately 300 temporary positions during construction phase
Permanent Jobs: Operations and maintenance positions once operational
Local Economic Impact: Expected to generate demand for local services and suppliers
Tax Incentives: Project qualifies for tax benefits as it’s located within a designated energy community
Regulatory Status
Filing: Proposal submitted to Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC)
Approval Status: Pending PSC review and approval
Strategic Context
The Reform Renewable Energy Center is part of Ameren Missouri’s broader energy portfolio expansion, which includes:
- Four additional solar projects (400+ MW) under construction, expected online by end of 2025
- Three recently operational solar sites generating electricity for 92,000 homes annually
- Castle Bluff Energy Center (2027) for backup power during peak periods
- Big Hollow Energy Center (2028) – hybrid natural gas and battery storage facility
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