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Commission Hears Update on Clean Line Energy Project

By Greg Bebermeyer

03/19/2013

( KNZA )-An official with Clean Line Energy Partners met with Brown County Commissioners Monday to provide them with an update on their transmission line project that’s to pass through the county and address concerns that have been raised.

The Houston-based company plans to build a 700-mile high-voltage transmission line that will deliver 35-hundred megawatts of wind power from western Kansas to communities in the east-central United States. The line is to pass through Marshall, Nemaha, Brown and Doniphan Counties.

Mark Lawlor, director of development with Clean Line Energy, says while the transmission line will be tax exempt for 10 years under state law, the project will generate significant property tax revenue for the county after that.

Lawlor says they will be working with the county to negotiate a road agreement prior to construction, which would ensure any damage to county or township roads would be repaired or payment made to the county to make such repairs.

Lawlor says they also plan to make a one-time payment to the county of 75-hundred dollars per mile of line to offset the potential costs of additional county services required during construction.

Clean Line Energy is considering three potential routes through the county. Lawlor says their goal is to select a preferred route by July 1st for approval by the Kansas Corporation Commission.

Lawlor says the company is making an effort during the routing process to minimize the impact on farm ground and wildlife habitat.

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