Missouri House backs landowners fighting wind energy line

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri House has passed legislation that could block the developers of one of the nation’s largest wind energy projects from using eminent domain to string a high-voltage power line across the Midwest.

The overview map on this page depicts the route of the Grain Belt Express Clean Line in Kansas- Image Clean Line Energy Partners.- click to expand

The vote Thursday by the House targets a $2.3 billion project that would carry electricity 750 miles from Kansas windmills across Missouri and Illinois before hooking into a power grid in Indiana serving eastern states.

The project won approval last month from Missouri utility regulators. That decision could allow developers to use condemnation to acquire easement rights from landowners unwilling to sell.

The bill blocking that now goes to the Missouri Senate.

The Grain Belt Express power line was proposed by Houston-based Clean Line Energy Partners. It’s in the process of being acquired by Chicago-based Invenergy.