Illinois approves 3.5 GW Clean Line wind power transmission line

The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) has given approval to Clean Line Energy Partners to construct and operate a proposed multi-state transmission line with 3.5GW of wind power throughput capacity.

The Rock Island Clean Line is a 500-mile, 600kV overhead direct-current transmission line project that will connect wind farms in northwest Iowa and the Illinois with a fraction of the power being distributed to around 10 states.

wind02

It has forwarded an application with projected route to the Illinois Commerce Commission in 2012 after managing more than two years of routing work, with the same route being approved by ICC.

Clean Line estimates that the $2bn project will bring around $7bn profit in wind energy development and for Illinois the project will decrease an annual electricity cost on customers by $320m in its first operational year alone.

Additional economic benefits in Illinois include a direct investment of $600m million, creation of jobs to construct the transmission line, and job support in the manufacturing sector for the wind turbines.

The ICC approval is a great step forward for the Rock Island Clean Line project and brings Illinois one step closer to creating a cleaner energy future, says Michael Skelly, president, Clean Line Energy.

Sabeena Wahid
[email protected]