More than a dozen people spoke against a proposed natural gas plant at a virtual hearing before Missouri’s Public Service Commission on Thursday night.

Ameren Missouri is asking for permission to build the gas plant and battery storage facility on the site of the former Rush Island coal plant in Jefferson County. It would be a simple cycle gas plant with a peak capacity of 800 megawatts of energy and an additional 400 megawatts of battery storage.

The virtual session was the only public hearing on the proposal plant. Staff for Missouri’s Office of Public Counsel asked to have two hearings, with one in person, but the commission denied the request.

“They're selling this to us and they're doing this almost under the cover of darkness, by the light of the moon,” said Larry Sutton, adding,

See Full Page