Clean Line Energy Partners looks for developers for Grain Belt transmission project

Grain Belt Express Clean Line LLC has launched an open solicitation process for capacity on the proposed Grain Belt Express Clean Line transmission project in Kansas, Missouri and Indiana, USA.

The Grain Belt Express Clean Line will deliver up to 3,500 megawatts of low-cost wind power from western Kansas to Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and states farther east that have strong demand for clean, reliable energy.

The project is a proposed approximately 750-mile, multi-terminal ±600 kV high-voltage, direct current (HVDC) transmission line and associated facilities. The project will originate near the Spearville 345-kV substation in Ford County, Kansas, and will terminate near the Sullivan 765-kV substation in Sullivan County, Indiana, where it will be capable of delivering 3,500 MW of power.

There is also an intermediate converter station located near the Maywood 345-kV substation in Missouri, where the project will have the capacity to deliver up to 500 MW of power.

The associated facilities will include transmission facilities to connect the converter stations to the existing transmission grid and a collector system comprised of alternating current transmission lines to connect generators to the western terminus of the line.

Grain Belt expects to commence construction of the project as early as 2017 and place the project in service in 2019.

Grain Belt will host a web conference on February 10, 2015, at which participants will have an opportunity to ask questions. Interested parties must submit their proposals on or before 9 March 2014.