Columbia Utilities to host meetings for controversial transmission line project

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

City of Columbia Utilities will host interested-party meetings Tuesday to gather public feedback regarding a decade-long transmission line project.

Meetings will be held Tuesday from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Forum Christian Church, 3900 Forum Blvd. The meetings will be open-house style, where residents can talk with city staff, ask questions, make comments, and complete a public comment form.

The project involves a 161-kilovolt transmission line that would run along Vawter School Road and connect the Grindstone and Perche Creek substations. The city said the proposal was approved unanimously by the city council as the most cost-effective option.

"Building the transmission line will strengthen the interconnection to the grid, help with maintaining the grid and continue to bring reliable power to the community," according to a City of Columbia news release.

The project was introduced in 2015 but has been repeatedly delayed because of community concerns.

Comments posted on the city's beheard.como.gov website about the transmission line project raised concerns about the lines' proximity to Mill Creek Elementary School, homes, and sidewalks. One commenter voiced safety concerns for children and the electrical demand needed for the transmission line. Others asked what will happen to the transmission structures already in place and who bears the cost.

In an August 'Let's Talk Local' meeting hosted by the City of Columbia, community members had the chance to ask city staff questions. Public comments focused on safety and contingency plans for the project. The city assistant director of electric utilities, Gwen Corches, told ABC 17 News his team works through many contingency plans to find the best possible outcome, and said experts believe the proposed transmission lines are that.

People who can't attend either meeting can submit questions and comments for utility staff at beheard.como.gov.