Ameren transmission proposes new transmission lines in central illinois

Ameren recently filed a Petition with the Illinois Commerce Commission to construct 380 miles of new transmission lines across central Illinois. The proposed lines are proposed for Hancock, Peoria, McDonough, Tazewell, Fulton, McLean, Adams, Champaign, Brown, Ford, Pike, Morgan, and Iroquois counties. Ameren argues that the new lines are necessary to ensure the reliability of the electrical grid and to support the growing demand for renewable energy resources. The project, with a price tag of over a billion dollars, will affect over six-thousand acres in these counties.

Ameren-submitted map of project area.

Proceedings at the Illinois Commerce Commission

Affected landowners should receive notice of Ameren’s filing. But you can find more about it at the Illinois Commerce Commission’s website. Affected landowners should be aware of their rights and how to address their concerns. These may include compensation and routing. Paticipation through intervention at the ICC is the only way to participate in the decision making process on whether the project will be granted and where it will be routed. Intervening allows landowners to voice their concerns and potentially influence the routing of the transmission lines.

Negotiating Easements

There are a variety of reasons that intervention may not make sense to landowners. If the main or only concern is compensation, that is part of negotiating an easement—not intervention. And there is room to negotiate compensation. Even if landowners already have existing transmission infrastructure or easements on their property, it is crucial to review the terms and conditions of those agreements to understand whether they include provisions for the construction of the proposed project and to assess the potential for maximizing compensation. Ameren’s own petition admits that their easements, many of which were inherited from CILCO, all have varying terms. And, Ameren will need an additional 50 feet for clearance when voltage increases from 138 kV to 245 kV.

Phillips & Bathke, P.C. can help you

Our attorneys can assist you with intervention or negotiating easements. Jonathan Phillips, in particular, has taken part in complete and successful oppositions to transmission lines and pipelines, major rerouting of transmission line projects, and localized routing adjustments. We have the experience and tools necessary to assist you with this project.

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