BARTONVILLE, Ill. (WMBD)– Ameren Illinois held another open house in Bartonville on Tuesday morning for residents to answer questions about the Central Illinois Grid Transformation Program.
The program is working to create 380 miles of new or upgraded transmission lines throughout Central Illinois. This includes Peoria, Tazewell, Fulton, and Mclean counties. Nearly 85% of the route will be rebuilt along existing corridors. Construction for the program is expected to take place in 2026 and services are set to begin in 2030.
The Ameren Project Manager, Drew Beahm, says the goal of the project is to meet changing energy needs and lower energy supply costs. “We’re adding capacity to the system. This will allow us to transmit more energy more efficiently from a wider array of generation sources.” The program will also promote access to diverse energy sources and create growing economic development opportunities.
Beahm says the benefit of having open houses is to learn what the concerns are of the residents and to also get some ideas on how to go forward with the project. “Ameren Transmission Company is out here listening to the concerns of the community, we are answering their questions, and frankly, in a lot of cases, we are stealing the good ideas on how to best execute this project.”
The total cost for the project is estimated to be $1.6 billion. To learn more about the Central Illinois Transformation Program or even give your input, you can visit the project’s website here.
