MISO has chosen Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois and Dairyland Power Cooperative to build the third and fourth competitive transmission projects emerging from its long-range transmission plan (LRTP).

Ameren will be responsible for the estimated $23 million, 345-kV line segment from the Iowa-Illinois border to the Ipava substation in Illinois. Dairyland will handle construction on the $12 million, 345-kV Deadend-to-Tremval project in Wisconsin.

In both cases, the selected developers were the only ones to submit a complete proposal to MISO. Both projects are expected to be in service by June 1, 2028.

MISO said it plans to collaborate with both developers to “successfully execute project[s] that will benefit MISO’s stakeholders.”

Before the pair of announcements last week, MISO already had two competitive developer selections under its belt this year.  

At the end of October, MISO also awarded Ameren construction rights on the $84 million, 345-kV Fairport-Denny project extending to the Iowa-Missouri state border. (See MISO Selects Ameren to Build 2nd Competitive LRTP Project.)  

The grid operator in May selected LS Power’s Republic Transmission to build the $77 million, 345-kV Hiple line at the Indiana-Michigan border. The line is MISO’s first competitive project surfacing from the LRTP. (See MISO Picks Republic Transmission for 1st LRTP Competitive Project.)

The grid operator is managing another active selection. Proposals were due in mid-November on the $556 million, 345-kV Denny-to-Zachary-to-Thomas Hill project, part of which will link up with the Fairport-Denny project. (See MISO Begins LRTP’s 2nd RFP Process.)

MISO’s developer announcement on the Deadend-to-Tremval project comes as the Wisconsin State Assembly and Senate decided last month not to act on a bill that would have installed a right of first refusal in the state for incumbent utilities to build transmission lines.