The $7 billion, 800-mile Grain Belt Express electric transmission infrastructure project on Oct. 12 secured approval from the Missouri Public Service Commission for its request to amend its existing certificate of convenience and necessity.
The decision marks the last required state siting approval for significant enhancements to the project “and provides the necessary certainty about power delivery to support ongoing and upcoming commercial contracting efforts,” the project’s developer, Invenergy, said.
Approvals secured this year from state regulatory commissions authorize Grain Belt Express to be financed and constructed in two phases, which will enable delivery of energy savings and reliability benefits sooner, Invenergy said.
Grain Belt Express has now acquired 95% of easements for the Phase 1 main line, between southwest Kansas and northeast Missouri.
“In response to strong regional demand for access to affordable, reliable power and state officials’ calls for more power to be delivered locally,” Invenergy Transmission increased the line’s capacity to 5,000 megawatts, with 2,500 megawatts flowing to the line’s mid-point delivery location in Missouri -- a fivefold increase in local delivery compared to the earlier project design.
Also last week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission acknowledged a request by Grain Belt Express to initiate a new open solicitation process to contract power delivery on Phase 1 of the line.
As a merchant transmission project, Grain Belt Express enters into voluntary contracts for power delivery.
The process, which could start as early as this year, would be supported by an independent consultant to assist in evaluating bids.
In Missouri, 39 communities are already contracted for power delivery from the line from a prior open solicitation.
“Now that Grain Belt Express has received every state approval needed to construct the first phase and 95% of the main line easements are already acquired, we are more confident than ever that 39 communities across Missouri will be able to receive clean, homegrown energy that will save millions in lower electricity costs each year,” said John Twitty, president and CEO of the Missouri Public Utility Alliance.
“Grain Belt Express’s approval in Missouri means families and businesses in these local communities have never been closer to accessing this affordable and reliable power. We are excited to see construction begin,” he said.
MPUA represents community-owned, locally-regulated electric, natural gas, water, wastewater, and broadband utilities that work together for the benefit of their customers.
In October of 1998, three current member organizations of MPUA voted to combine efforts and resources to better serve their municipal utility members.
MPUA is a partnership of the Missouri Electric Commission, the Missouri Gas Commission, the Missouri Association of Municipal Utilities, and the MPUA Resource Services Corporation.
Grain Belt Express is looking to start full construction as soon as the start of 2025, pending federal permitting approvals.
