HERMANN — More financial support from Ameren for Gasconade County’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) could be coming soon.

John Bassford of Ameren’s Callaway Energy Center, the utility’s liaison for county governments involved with emergency response plans related to possible incidents at the Callaway nuclear power plant, Thursday morning told the County Commission that his office is asking corporate headquarters for more financial support for Gasconade County.

The county’s EOC receives about $50,000 a year from Ameren as part of the partnership between the utility and the county regarding the plan that would be activated in the event of a release of radioactive material resulting from an incident at the power plant.

Additional funding could be forthcoming, Bassford noted.

“We’ve asked for an increase for you guys this year,” he said. “We haven’t bumped it in a while,” he added.

The northwest portion of Gasconade County, including the city of Morrison, is within the designated radiation zone surrounding the power plant. But because of the prevailing direction of wind, the counties of Callaway, Gasconade, Osage and Montgomery are most likely to be affected by a breech at the power plant.

Bassford’s office works closely with the counties in keeping the emergency response plans up to date.

“The partnership with our four counties has been really good,” Bassford told the Commission.

Bassford was at the Commission session as part of the review by his office, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the State Emergency Management Agency and the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services of the three-day Decontamination Drill held at the Hermann Middle School. The school is the area’s designated Reception Center for residents evacuated in the event of the release of radioactive material from the power plant.

Ameren’s support for the EOC is augmented with some county General Fund dollars.

Gasconade County Commissioners are scheduled to meet again at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in Hermann.