Grain Belt Express explains their case in front of Missouri Supreme Court
Wind energy could be in Missouri’s future.
It has been in the works for years, a company is planning to build a transmission line across Missouri.
This morning, that company attorney, former Governor Jay Nixon argued the line’s importance before the Missouri State Supreme Court.
Clean Line Energy told ABC 17 that 39 cities have already contractually agreed to buy power off this transmission line, which they say will save Missourian’s 10 million dollars a year.
Nixon argued to the Supreme Court judges that Clean Line Energy’s Grain Belt Express project is a $2.3 billion privately funded wind transmission line, “this would not only bring, clean, renewable wind power to tens of thousands of Missourian’s, but also generate billions of dollars of saving in energy bills and provide over 7 million in yearly property tax payments to our schools, first responders, and other entities along its path.”
The Missouri Public Service Commission argued against the Grain Belt Express citing a previous court ruling in the decision they made to deny the project.
Commission attorney’s asked the Supreme Court to dismiss Clean Line’s Energy’s appeal of that decision.
Nixon argued the case the Commission cited involved a franchise structure and that’s not what his client is offering, “it is not the intent of my client to ever provide service, this is a transmission line, a construction project of a construction line.”
Doug Healy, the general counsel, to the Missouri Joint Municipal Electric Utility Commission said they are currently getting their power from coal plants in Illinois and the contract expires in 2020.
Healy said Grain Belt Express is a much better offer, “this meets what our customers want in rural areas, when we can provide citizens renewable energy, there’s no costs or risk of fuel, no emissions, it just makes a lot of sense, business-wise as well as for the environment.”
Property owners along the route said it would hurt their land value and farms.
ABC 17 will continue to follow the case and let you know what the Supreme Court decides.
