By Bill Raack, St. Louis Public Radio

St. Louis, MO – AmerenUE officials say its rebuilt Taum Sauk Reservoir in southeastern Missouri is on schedule to be operating early this summer.

The old reservoir collapsed in December 2005, sending more than a billion gallons of water rushing down Proffit Mountain, wiping out Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park and injuring the park ranger's family.

AmerenUE spokesman Michael West says they have taken specific steps to ensure the new reservoir's safety.

"Based on the design and based on the arrangement and the agreements we've had in terms of our partnership with FERC and and a number of other regulatory authorities, we feel good about its progress. I mean we certainly feel it's going to be a safe facility and a quality facility for years to come," West said.

AmerenUE expects the total cost to rebuild the reservoir to approach $490 million.

The new facility still needs final federal approval.

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