AECI continues to improve its environmental performance
Associated Electric Cooperative has always been environmentally responsible, and the cooperative has a strong history of fulfilling its environmental commitments while continuing to meet members' needs for affordable and stable electricity rates.
AECI has taken an aggressive approach to improving air quality. Since 1994, AECI has reduced its systemwide sulfur dioxide emissions rate 90 percent. The cooperative will reduce its systemwide nitrogen oxides emissions rate 90 percent in 2009.
Nominated by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, AECI received a national award for restoring the Bee Veer mine in Macon County, Mo., to productive pasture, woodlands and wetlands for wildlife. Read the news release.
AECI achieved these reductions by investing $1 billion since 1994, including conversion of its coal units to low-sulfur coal, closing its Missouri mine and installing environmental controls. Most recently, Associated finished construction of new and upgraded environmental controls in December 2008 at Thomas Hill Energy Center. The new controls will enable AECI to achieve a NOx emissions rate systemwide that is nearly 90 percent below its emissions rate in 1994.
AECI also is the leader in Missouri wind energy. AECI's commitment to buy all the power from three wind farms in northwest Missouri for 20 years and system cooperatives' vast transmission system made the wind farms possible. A fourth wind farm is under construction. Read more about the first utility-scale wind farms in Missouri.
Rural electric cooperatives also have always been leaders in energy efficiency, and AECI implemented systemwide in 2008 its "Take Control & Save" energy efficiency program to further build on individual cooperatives’ energy efficiency programs.
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