The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)’s Grid Deployment Office awarded the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) $8.3 million to improve the review process for several transmission projects running through the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) territory.
High voltage transmission sends power from where it is generated, out to homes and buildings all over a region. The state of Illinois’ project was one of 20 selected from across 16 states as a part of the Transmission Siting and Economic Development grant program and will help to build out a more resilient 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,” ICC Chairman Doug Scott said.
The ICC’s winning project is intended to streamline the transmission line siting review and approval processes in Illinois, while ensuring better protection of natural resources and historical sites. It is also designed to better incorporate community-identified needs into the transmission siting approval process.
“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,” U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-IL). “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.”
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 culture resources, create conservation guidance, and assess species’ status,” IDNR Director Natalie Phelps Finnie said. “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.”
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