ST. LOUIS, Feb. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Today's decision by
the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) clears the way for the
nearly 400-mile-long Illinois Rivers electric transmission project
that will create jobs, facilitate the delivery of low-cost power
and improve the reliability and efficiency of the electric power
grid.
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140220/CG68997)
Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI), a wholly owned subsidiary of
Ameren Corporation (NYSE: AEE), has received siting approval of
final routes and substations from the ICC to build the estimated
$1.1 billion Illinois Rivers
transmission project. This is Ameren's largest-ever transmission
project and the longest single transmission line project in
Illinois history.
"Today's action by the ICC is welcome news for Illinois," said Maureen Borkowski, chairman, president and chief
executive officer of ATXI. "This project will benefit the state's
economy, create jobs and provide Illinois electricity customers greater access
to a variety of low-cost energy sources, including wind
energy."
Last August, the ICC approved the need for the project and some
of the project routes and substations. Today, the ICC resolved all
remaining routes and substation location issues. The 345,000-volt
transmission line, using steel poles with a single shaft, will run
from Palmyra, Mo., crossing the
Mississippi River at Quincy. It
will then run east past Meredosia,
Pawnee, Pana, Mt.
Zion and Kansas, ending at
Sugar Creek, Ind., with additional
lines running from Meredosia to
Ipava and between the Sidney and
Rising substations near Champaign.
Following last August's action by the ICC, ATXI began the real
estate process on those portions of the project with final route
approval, including surveying work and negotiations with landowners
to secure 150-foot-wide easements. Substation construction is
already underway. Line construction is expected to commence later
this year.
The project previously received approvals from the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Midcontinent
Independent System Operator, Inc. (MISO), a regional transmission
organization serving a 15-state region and the Canadian province of
Manitoba.
Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois is a wholly-owned subsidiary of
Ameren Corporation dedicated to electric transmission
infrastructure investment, expanding Ameren's already robust
transmission system of more than 7,500 circuit miles of
high-voltage transmission lines in Illinois and Missouri.
About Ameren
St.
Louis-based Ameren Corporation powers the quality of life
for 2.4 million electric customers and more than 900,000 natural
gas customers in a 64,000-square-mile area through its Ameren
Missouri and Ameren Illinois rate-regulated utility subsidiaries.
Ameren Illinois provides electric and natural gas delivery service
while Ameren Missouri provides vertically integrated electric
service, with generating capacity of 10,300 megawatts, and natural
gas delivery service. Ameren Transmission of Illinois develops regional electric
transmission projects. Follow the company on Twitter @AmerenCorp.
For more information, visit Ameren.com.
SOURCE Ameren