JEFFERSON CITY---The Missouri Public Service Commission has modified the hearing schedule in a case filed by Grain Belt Express, LLC (Grain Belt). Hearings, originally scheduled for May 22-26, 2023, are now scheduled for
June 5-9, 2023. The hearing schedule modification was based upon motions filed by some of the parties in the case. Grain Belt is seeking to amend its certificate of convenience and necessity (CCN) granted on March 19, 2019 (EA-2016-0358) and for approval of certain modifications to the conditions of the CCN granted in that case.
Hearings, scheduled to start at 9:00 a.m. on June 5, 2023, will be held in the Governor Office Building, Room 310, 200 Madison Street, in Jefferson City. This building meets the accessibility standards required by the Americans with Disabilities Act. If you need additional accommodations to participate in these hearings, please call the Public Service Commission’s Hotline at 1-800-392-4211 (voice) or Relay Missouri at 711 before the hearings. These hearings will also be streamed live on the Commission’s website (
www.psc.mo.gov).
On March 19, 2019, the Missouri Public Service Commission granted Grain Belt a CCN to construct, own, operate, control, manage and maintain a high voltage, direct current transmission line and associated facilities within eight Missouri counties (Buchanan, Clinton, Caldwell, Carroll, Chariton, Randolph, Monroe and Ralls). The Grain Belt project would traverse the states of Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, including approximately 206 miles in Missouri.
In its current application case (EA-2023-0017), Grain Belt states that for the high voltage direct current (HVDC) portion of the line, no material changes to the route, right-of-way, or facility design are anticipated as a result of the requested amendments.
Grain Belt states in its application that the material changes to the engineering or project design from the granted CCN are as follows: 1) Relocating the Missouri converter station from Ralls County to Monroe County and increasing the capacity of the Missouri converter station from 500 MW to 2,500 MW; 2) Relocating the alternating current (AC) connector line from Ralls County to Monroe, Audrain and Callaway Counties (The AC tie line, known as the “Tiger Connector,” will be approximately 40 miles, traversing south from the converter station in Monroe County, through Audrain County, and terminating in Callaway County at the existing McCredie Substation); and 3) Constructing the project in two phases.
Grain Belt has also requested modification of certain conditions that accompanied the grant of the original CCN in File No. EA-2016-0358. Those changes are: 1) Modification of the financing conditions to allow for phasing in the project as set out in the direct testimony of Kevin Chandler filed with the application; 2) Modification of the “easement expiration” condition to bring the condition in line with new Section 523.025, RSMo, which allows for seven years to obtain financial commitments necessary to construct the project, rather than the five years as ordered by the Commission in File No. EA-2016-0358; and 3) Modification of the Missouri Landowner Protocols to permit a landowner compensation specific package for the Tiger Connector landowners.
Missouri Public Service Commission