Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Underground line could carry Iowa wind power to Chicago
Updated 5:34 pm CDT, Monday, March 11, 2019
ES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The company behind a proposed underground transmission line that would carry electricity generated mostly by wind turbines in Iowa to the Chicago area said Monday that the $2.5 billion project could be operational in 2024 if regulators approve it.
Direct Connect Development Co. said it has lined up three major investors to back the project. It plans to bury the transmission line in land that runs along existing Canadian Pacific railroad tracks, hopefully reducing the disruption to landowners. It's not unusual for pipelines or fiber optic lines to be buried along railroad tracks in the land the railroad controls.
CEO Trey Ward said he "believes that the SOO Green project will set the standard regarding how transmission lines are developed and constructed in the U.S."
A similar proposal from a different company for an overhead transmission line was withdrawn in 2016 after landowners raised concerns. That $2 billion Rock Island Clean Line was supposed to run from northwest Iowa into Illinois.
More:
https://www.chron.com/news/us/article/Underground-line-could-carry-Iowa-wind-power-to-13680081.php