State regulators reject high-powered wind energy line

On Wednesday members of the Missouri Public Service Commission voted down plans for a high-voltage power line that would carry wind energy across the northern part of the state. The vote was 3-2.

The project, called Grain Belt Express, would cover roughly 750 miles, stretching from Kansas to Indiana. It would affect several counties in Mid-Missouri, including Chariton, Randolph, and Monroe. The company behind the plan, Clean Line Energy, expects to finish in 2016. It would cost an estimated $2 billion, including new jobs, during construction.

After facing criticism about how the transmission lines would benefit Missouri in particular, Clean Line also proposed building a new substation in Center, Mo. But the offer to power local homes was eventually rejected by the Ralls County commission.

The state commissioners said Wednesday that Grain Belt Express did not serve the interest of anyone in Missouri.