Invenergy says it will increase the planned Grain Belt Express transmission line’s capacity to deliver 25% more power than originally planned, but at an additional multi-billion-dollar cost.

Chicago-based developer Invenergy Transmission said in a Monday press release that it will increase the 800-mile HVDC Grain Belt Express total capacity to 5 GW. It said the bump will deliver more energy cost savings to Missouri, Illinois and the Midwest. The expansion increases the project’s investment to $7 billion, up from an estimated $2.5 billion earlier this year.

Missouri will see the largest delivery increases after the project’s mid-point converter station is expanded from 500 MW to 2.5 GW. Invenergy plans to move the substation and add a 40-mile delivery line, dubbed the Grain Belt Express Tiger Connector.

Invenergy said the changes are necessary to reach an existing substation that is robust enough to handle large injections of power.

Using an analysis from PA Consulting Group, the developer estimates the beefed-up merchant line will save ratepayers in Missouri and Illinois a total $7.5 billion over 15 years. Kansas ratepayers are expected to realize a $1-billion savings over the same time frame.

Invenergy said it will pursue “all required regulatory approvals related to facility changes” and will hold an open house later this month to discuss Tiger Connector route options and seek input from landowners. The company said it is “committed to building transmission infrastructure the right way — treating landowners with respect and fairness.”

The utility said that the line’s route, right of way and facility design remains unchanged, and development will begin according to existing regulatory approvals.

Invenergy spokesperson Dia Kuykendall said the company plans to begin construction in 2024 and achieve commercial operations sometime in 2027.

“As families and businesses face rising costs and power grid operators sound the alarm about regional reliability challenges, Invenergy Transmission is proud to be delivering solutions,” said Shashank Sane, Invenergy’s executive vice president and head of transmission. “By increasing total power delivery for the Grain Belt Express and ensuring an equal share is available locally, this state-of-the-art transmission infrastructure project will save families and businesses billions of dollars in electric costs each year, protect our communities by improving reliability, and power prosperity across the Midwest well into the future.”

The 800-mile transmission line is intended to carry wind power from western Kansas through Missouri and Illinois to the Indiana border. It has faced significant resistance in Missouri, which initially denied permits. (See Invenergy Renewing Push for Grain Belt Express.)

But things are looking up for the long-stalled project.

Last month, Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed legislation requiring line developers to pay landowners 150% of fair market value for land taken through eminent domain. The final House Bill 2005 was viewed as a compromise among Missouri lawmakers; it guarantees farmers more money for their parcels but doesn’t require transmission developers to seek approval from individual county commissions for their lines.

Texas-based Clean Line Energy Partners first proposed construction of the Grain Belt Express in 2014 but was met with opposition, delay and litigation over eminent domain for the segment of line crossing Missouri. Invenergy acquired the project in 2019. A year later, disputes over the line’s development reached the Missouri Supreme Court, which ruled that the Missouri regulators erred when they denied Grain Belt a certificate of convenience and necessity.

Illinois and Missouri business leaders applauded Invenergy’s decision, including the Associated Industries of Missouri, the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and the Missouri Public Utility Alliance. They said the line stands to stimulate billions of dollars in economic activity in Illinois and Missouri and millions in “new taxes and revenue for local communities along the route.”

“Grain Belt Express’s additional commitment to deliver more power to Missouri could not have come at a better time for businesses in our region who are facing increased risk for outages and higher energy bills due to more demand and less energy production,” Ray McCarty, CEO of Associated Industries of Missouri, said in a joint press release with his Illinois counterparts. “Bringing more power to the region is the best solution to manage this urgent challenge, and we thank Grain Belt Express for responding to those needs.”

Illinois Manufacturers’ Association CEO Mark Denzler said “manufacturers and the communities they support across our region will see significant benefits thanks to this essential investment.”

“You can’t have a strong business climate if manufacturers are worried about the reliability and cost of their power supply. There’s no question,” Denzler said.