Turney Energy Center takes shape in northwest Missouri
by Mark Viguet | info@ruralmissouri.coop
On a recent October morning, with rolling farmland stretching across Clinton County under a clear autumn sky, community members, cooperative leaders, construction partners and local officials gathered to witness a milestone. Anticipation buzzed as Associated Electric Cooperative ceremonially broke ground on the Turney Energy Center project near Turney.
Associated Electric Cooperative, a member-owned wholesale power supplier, provides reliable, affordable electricity to six regional generation and transmission cooperatives and the 51 local electric cooperatives they serve across Missouri, southeast Iowa and northeast Oklahoma.
For those in attendance, the Oct. 2 ceremony was more than a formality. It was a promise — of reliable power on the hottest summer afternoons and the coldest winter nights, when rural families count on electricity most.
“Today marks the beginning of construction, but it also marks a commitment to every cooperative member we serve,” says Sean Wright, Associated’s vice president of construction for new generation projects. “When the weather turns severe and demand spikes, this facility will make sure the lights stay on.”
Turning plans into progress
The Turney Energy Center is one of two new natural gas facilities being built by Associated to meet record-setting demand. Planning for Turney and its twin project, the Ripley Energy Center near Stillwater, Oklahoma, began in 2021. Ripley construction started in 2024 and is slated to be online in late 2026. Turney will follow online in 2027, adding another 420 megawatts of quick-start generating capacity to the system.
For Associated’s member-owned system, which serves 2.1 million people across Missouri, northeast Oklahoma and southeast Iowa, these peaking units can’t come soon enough. Between 2021 and 2025, the 51 local electric cooperatives collectively set three new winter peaks along with a new all-time summer high.
“These projects are about preparing for the future, not waiting for a crisis,” says Associated CEO and General Manager David Tudor. “We want to make sure reliability remains the norm — not the exception — for rural cooperative members.”
A facility with local roots
The Turney site, a 94-acre parcel southwest of town, was chosen for its access to gas pipelines, water and transmission lines. NW Electric Power Cooperative, one of Associated’s six member-owners, is building substations and transmission lines to connect Turney to the electric grid. Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative serves members in the area. About 37 acres will be developed for the plant itself; the rest will remain in agricultural use. Associated worked with archaeologists to complete more than 800 shovel tests, ensuring culturally significant land wasn’t impacted.
At the groundbreaking, David Deihl, general manager, Platte-Clay Electric Cooperative, praised Associated for its approach. “This new energy center is about more than power — it’s about peace of mind for our members and all of Associated’s member systems,” he says. “It helps us meet today’s growing demands while protecting the long-term energy future of the communities we call home.”
Power, people and protection
The $520 million Turney Energy Center will be Missouri’s most advanced natural gas generator, using selective catalytic reduction technology to sharply reduce emissions. During construction, 300 to 400 workers will be employed on site, with six to eight permanent employees once operations begin in 2027.
Associated leaders highlighted several safeguards to protect the local environment and community:
• Air quality: The latest emissions controls will ensure compliance with all state and federal standards.
• Water use: Treated water from the Public Water Supply District No. 4 will be used and discharged under Missouri Department of Natural Resources permits.
• Noise and lighting: Engineering measures will minimize sound levels and shield exterior lighting to reduce impacts on area homes.
• Land stewardship: Wetlands will be untouched, and a significant portion of the acres will stay in farming.
Looking ahead
As the first ceremonial shovels of dirt turned over, the symbolism wasn’t lost on those who came to witness it. Each scoop represented years of planning, community input and careful study — all leading to a facility that will protect reliability for decades to come.
While the foundation of Turney Energy Center is being set this year, major equipment will be installed in 2026. When the first turbines spin in 2027, the plant will stand as both a technological achievement and a community partnership brought to life.
“Breaking ground is always exciting,” Sean says, pausing to look out at the site that will soon host Missouri’s most advanced gas turbine-generator. “But what excites me most is knowing this project will keep rural homes warm in the winter, cool in the summer and connected every day in between.”
As the shovels were set aside, one message lingered: the Turney Energy Center isn’t just about steel and concrete. It’s about the people it will serve.
To learn more about Associated’s new gas generation plans, visit www.aeci.org.