The Grain Belt Express transmission line, a project developed by Invenergy, promises to bring savings and improve reliability for residents in Kansas, despite not directly supplying electricity to substations in the state. The 5,000-megawatt line will carry renewable energy from southwest Kansas through Missouri and Illinois, ending at the Indiana border using high-voltage direct current technology. Invenergy representatives highlighted the project’s ability to alleviate congestion on the regional grid, improve reliability, and stimulate economic development in Kansas.
The company’s plans to obtain easements from private landowners, including through eminent domain if necessary, have sparked controversy among rural residents. The Kansas Farm Bureau has updated its policy positions to support renewable energy projects while advocating for landowner rights protection and transparency from transmission line developers.
The testimony from Invenergy and the Kansas Corporation Commission comes at a time when attitudes towards renewable energy projects are evolving in rural communities. The Farm Bureau is pushing for higher compensation for landowners and a code of conduct for future developers to ensure fair and transparent dealings with landowners in Kansas.
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