Triple E Agenda - Energy

I made it a mark early on as Speaker that we would pursue smart energy policy that will help keep your family’s budget intact and our manufacturers’ doors open.  There are vast opportunities on the horizon, including Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR) technology, in which Missouri is still seeking to participate.  In the meantime, there is much we can still do to promote wise energy choices.  HB 44, sponsored by Rep. Korman, is one such proposal we have already moved to the Senate for their consideration.

HB 44

In 2008, Missouri’s voters approved a constitutional change that required that Missouri’s energy generators source a certain percentage of their power from renewable sources.  Hydropower is one such source of power that our energy companies have utilized for many years.  However, hydropower from already constructed sources was not able to apply towards that new benchmark. 

HB44 will modify the state’s statute so that all hydropower can be fully counted towards the Renewable Energy Standard.  Without this measure in place, Missouri’s investor-owned facilities will have little choice but to dramatically increase costs as they make huge investments in new facilities to meet the standard.  We feel the voters’ intent was to have a true standard which counted all renewables, and we intend to bring Missouri’s statute in line with that intent.