JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Public Service Commission has approved an application which grants KCP&L-Greater Missouri Operations Company (GMO) a certificate of convenience and necessity to construct, own, operate and maintain a solar generation facility in Jackson County near Greenwood, Missouri.
According to GMO’s application, the solar plant, when completed, is expected to produce approximately 4,700 megawatt-hours of energy a year, enough power to serve approximately 440 customers. GMO hopes to have the solar plant completed and in operation by the end of July, 2016.
KCP&L is happy with the certificates granted today, as well as the progress on their Missouri Energy Efficiency Investment Act (MEEIA) filings, seeing them as steps towards the future.
“We know our customers expect us to look forward the future and to be more sustainable,” said Courtney Hughley at KCP&L. “This is the first next step towards the future.”
The Commission is granting GMO’s request for a certificate of convenience and necessity determining GMO’s proposal to construct a pilot solar plant is necessary or convenient for the public service.
“GMO’s customers and the general public have a strong interest in the development of economical renewable energy sources to provide safe, reliable, and affordable service while improving the environment and reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere. It is clear, solar power will be an integral part of this development, building a bridge to our energy future. The Commission can either act to facilitate that process or temporarily hinder it. GMO’s proposed pilot solar plant will do the former and, thus, it will promote the public interest,” said the Commission.
“GMO proposes to build a small, but utility-scale, solar power generating plant as a pilot program to give it ‘hands-on’ experience in designing, constructing, and operating a solar facility with a view toward eventually building additional solar facilities,” said the Commission. “Gaining that experience now is important so that GMO can remain in front of the upcoming adoption curve.”
The Commission also approved a non-unanimous agreement reached by several parties regarding certain demand-side (energy efficiency) programs and a Demand-Side Investment Mechanism (DSIM) under KCP&L and KCP&L-Greater Missouri Operations Company’s (GMO) second MEEIA filings.
The agreement states that the three-year energy efficiency plan is expected to provide benefits to all KCP&L and GMO customers, including customers who do not participate in the programs.
Under the MEEIA Plan approved by the Commission, there will be a number of energy efficiency programs for business and residential customers. The residential customer programs include: Income-Eligible Weatherization (this is a GMO-only program and will be available only for 2016 according to the agreement); Home Lighting Rebate; Home Appliance Recycling Rebate; Income-Eligible Home Energy Report (this is a KCP&L program only); Home Energy Report; Online Home Energy Audit; Whole House Efficiency; Income-Eligible Multi-Family; and Residential Programmable Thermostat.
Under the agreement, KCP&L and GMO will work with other interested parties to address new, unserved, or underserved customer markets and identify cost-effective energy and demand savings strategies that could be considered for implementation for Program years 2017 and 2018.
KCP&L-GMO serves approximately 316,600 electric customers in Missouri.
Rachael Herndon was the editor at The Missouri Times and also produced This Week in Missouri Politics, published Missouri Times Magazine, and co-hosted the #MoLeg podcast. She joined The Missouri Times in 2014, returning to political reporting after working as a campaign and legislative staffer.
Rachael studied at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She lives in Jefferson City with her husband, Brandon, and their two children.
