Prairie State Wire

Springfield, IL - Last week, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) was awarded $8.3 million from the Department of Energy's (DOE) Grid Deployment Office to enhance the review process for several transmission projects within the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) territory. High voltage transmission is a critical component of America's energy infrastructure, transmitting power from generation sites to homes and buildings across regions. Illinois' project was one of 20 selected from 16 states as part of the Transmission Siting and Economic Development grant program aimed at building a more resilient and reliable power grid.

"America's power grid was designed decades ago and isn't fully up to speed with today's modern energy demands and fuel sources. Investing in a more coordinated and efficient transmission permitting process will help to strengthen our existing grid infrastructure and keep power safe and easy to access for all Illinoisians," said ICC Chairman Doug Scott.

"Modernizing our transmission permitting process will improve our power system's efficiency and reliability while cutting costs for consumers and creating the next generation of clean energy jobs," said Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13). "I'm glad to see more than $8 million coming to the Illinois Commerce Commission to bolster our electrical grid and improve our ability to incorporate public feedback."

The ICC's project aims to streamline the transmission line siting review and approval processes in Illinois; ensure better protection of natural resources and historical sites; and better incorporate community-identified needs into the transmission siting approval process. In partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the project will also digitize records and upgrade public-facing databases that house data on environmental and cultural resources along lines under review.

"This grant will enable IDNR to conduct surveys of endangered and threatened species and historic and cultural resources, create conservation guidance, and assess species' status," said IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie. "We are grateful for the opportunity to modernize lagging databases, processes, and workflows for vital cultural-resource reviews within the Illinois State Historic Preservation Office, which is part of IDNR."

The improvements and data collected will be used to inform siting review for future transmission projects, potentially reducing costs and time associated with project development.

More details about Illinois' project can be found here.