Power line developers seek IUB approval

CEDAR RAPIDS — The developers of a transmission line to transport electricity generated by wind turbines from Iowa to neighboring states have filed petitions with the Iowa Utilities Board.

Rock Island Clean Line LLC, a subsidiary of Clean Line Energy Partners, filed documents Thursday with the IUB seeking approval to construct, maintain and operate an electric transmission line in 16 Iowa counties.

The Rock Island Clean Line project involves an approximately 500-mile direct current transmission line. It would deliver 3,500 megawatts of wind energy-generated electricity from northwest to communities in Illinois and other states to the east.

Texas-based Clean Line Energy Partners has estimated that the Rock Island Clean Line will power 1.4 million homes.

The transmission line, which would stretch diagonally from O'Brien to Scott counties, including Linn, would cross 2,000 parcels of land. The $2 billion project would take about two years to construct after the company receives the necessary regulatory approvals,

Clean Line Energy Partners contends the project will encourage the manufacture of transmission and wind turbine components, support thousands of jobs, and generate millions of dollars in state and local tax revenues in Iowa.

More than a thousand parties who assume their land will be impacted by the transmission line have filed objections to the project. Some have filed multiple objections.

Rock Island Clean Line said it is working closely with landowners and is committed to offering fair compensation for easements and any remediation work that may be required as a result of the construction process.

Hans Detweiler, director of development for Clean Line Energy Partners, told The Gazette in early August that the company had received project approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

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Chelsea Keenan of The Gazette contributed to this story.