Newly proposed Grain Belt Express transmission line route to run just south of Pittsfield

By Editor | April 5, 2022 |

By DAVID CAMPHOUSE

Submitted graphic
A newly proposed route for the planned Grain Belt Express transmission line runs just south of Pittsfield, along the “Middle Road.” Officials and residents are concerned by the newly proposed route, because it will affect more property owners and farm ground than previously proposed routes through the county.

The planned Grained Belt Express transmission line – having secured project siting approvals in the three other states where the project is located (Kansas, Missouri, and Indiana) – has begun the process of obtaining state regulatory approval for its route through Illinois before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).
As part of this process, Grain Belt Express is seeking input through public meetings on the primary and alternate routes that will run approximately 200 miles through Central Illinois, from Pike County on the Mississippi River to Clark County on the Indiana state line.
The phase three public meeting to hear public input on the transmission line’s route through Pike County will be held Tuesday, April 12, from 5-7 p.m. at the Pike County Senior Citizens Center at 220 West Adams Street, Pittsfield, Ill. 62363.
During the first and second phases of the transmission line’s public meetings, representatives of the transmission line project presented primary and alternate routes that were substantially similar to those presented to the Illinois Commerce Commission in 2015 when Clean Line Energy Partners previously applied for a siting permit in Illinois.
However, a third route of the transmission line through Pike County has been recently proposed, running just south of Pittsfield near County Highway 8, which would affect more property and home owners.
“What they’ve proposed is running down what we call the ‘Middle Road,’” Pike County Board President Jim Sheppard said.
Sheppard expressed reservations regarding the newly proposed route of the transmission line, stating that earlier proposals would have affected fewer residents.
“To me it seems to be a poorer choice,” Sheppard said. “With this route, you’re going to deal with a lot more homes and property owners.”
Pike-Scott Farm Bureau Executive Director Blake Roderick also expressed concern that the newly proposed transmission line’s route would affect more Farm Bureau members than previously proposed routes through the county.
“For some reason, after the meeting they held in February, they proposed this new route,” Roderick said. “It seems to be affecting a lot more farm ground than the previous routes. It’s going to impact our farmers and farm ground, as well as our township and county roads.”
The Grain Belt Express project was purchased by Invenergy Transmission LLC from Clean Line Energy Partners in 2018. In early 2020, Invenergy Transmission became the full and sole owner of the Grain Belt Express project. Invenergy Transmission is an affiliate of Invenergy, an Illinois-based company. Invenergy Transmission and Invenergy have no affiliation with Clean Line Energy Partners.
Invenergy Transmission LLC states that the Grain Belt Express will carry more affordable, reliable power to consumers in Illinois and other states, connecting more Americans to domestic, clean electricity sources. Invenergy Transmission LLC also states that the project is expected to be built at no cost to Illinois consumers.
Prior to Grain Belt’s February public meeting, Pike County Clerk Natalie Roseberry reported that she felt the Grain Belt Express project is controversial because it allows a private, non-utility company to assert eminent domain over privately held ground.
“The government is going to let them use eminent domain to take farmers’ land,” Roseberry said. “It’s a slippery slope to allow a private company to do that.”
Pike-Scott Farm Bureau Executive Director Blake Roderick said that although Invenergy Transmission LLC is not a public utility, the company’s eminent power authority was created last year by an action of the Illinois state legislature.
“They’re a wholesale power broker, not a utility,” Roderick said. “The Illinois state legislature carved out a special deal for this specific company for only these nine counties. It doesn’t pass the odor test. That’s my interpretation.”
To date, Roderick said, Illinois Farm Bureau and the Pike-Scott Farm Bureau have not taken an official position on the Grain Belt Express transmission line.
“We’re not going to take a position until they get approval from ICC,” Roderick said.
Roderick said that Pike-Scott Farm Bureau would continue to work with Farm Bureau member property owners as the Grain Belt planning process progressed.
“We’re going to meet with our members to make sure they understand their rights,” Roderick said.