Illinois

Grain Belt in Illinois

Grain Belt Express is a proposed long-distance transmission line, that will carry more affordable, reliable power to Illinois consumers and other states - connecting more Americans to domestic, clean electricity.

The project will protect landowners and property values, by guaranteeing landowners 110% of market value for easements on their property and following existing property boundaries wherever possible in Illinois.

In 2018, Invenergy Transmission LLC (“Invenergy Transmission”) signed an agreement to buy the Grain Belt Express project from Clean Line Energy Partners. 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 with a successful track record building clean energy projects. Invenergy Transmission and Invenergy have no affiliation with Clean Line Energy Partners.

Having secured project siting approvals in the three other states where the project is located (Kansas, Missouri, and Indiana), Grain Belt Express is now beginning the process of pursuing state regulatory approval before the Illinois Commerce Commission. 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.

How Illinois Benefits

Routing Process

Today, Grain Belt Express is going through an extensive process to evaluate primary and alternate routes in Illinois. These routes are substantially similar to those presented to the Illinois Commerce Commission in 2015 by the project’s prior owner. The routes minimize impacts on land use and natural and cultural resources. This routing process involves phases of gathering information and feedback from landowners and stakeholders in counties along the routes.