Mandy
Residents in south-central Kansas have voiced strong opposition to a proposed 133-mile energy transmission line. The Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) and Evergy, the company behind the plan, recently hosted public hearings to address concerns from local communities.
These meetings took place in Sedan on Wednesday and Winfield on Thursday, where many residents shared their fears about the potential negative impacts of the transmission line.
Background of the Project
The need for the new transmission line arose after Winter Storm Elliott in December 2022, which caused significant energy reliability issues across the region. The Southwest Power Pool (SPP), a group overseeing energy transmission across 14 states, which includes Kansas, started evaluating options to improve the reliability of the system under extreme conditions like winter storms.
Justin Grady, the director of utilities at the KCC, stated that one of the key recommendations was to assess energy transmission infrastructure under extreme weather scenarios.
The new 345-kilovolt transmission line aims to address these reliability concerns, particularly in case of future winter storms.
Proposed Route and Opposition
Evergy’s plan includes constructing the transmission line across western Sedgwick, Sumner, Cowley, and Chautauqua Counties.
The line would run from the Buffalo Flats Substation near Garden Plain to the Delaware Substation in Delaware, Oklahoma.
However, the proposed route has sparked concerns among local residents, particularly farmers like Michael Slack from Oxford. Slack worries that the new transmission poles would create significant obstacles to farming.
He explained that farmers would have to maneuver their equipment between the power poles, essentially working through a narrow alley, which could interfere with their farming operations.
Public Input and Potential Changes
The KCC acknowledges the concerns raised by residents like Slack. Grady emphasized that public input is an essential part of the process.
The commission is open to modifying the route based on feedback, including suggestions to move the line further off county roads or section lines.
The KCC has encouraged residents to share their concerns in writing before the final decision is made. They are accepting written comments until January 23, and hope to make adjustments to the plan to address local preferences.
The proposed 133-mile energy transmission line in Kansas has sparked significant debate among residents, especially in rural farming areas. While the line is seen as necessary to ensure reliable energy transmission during extreme weather events, local residents are concerned about its impact on their livelihoods.
Public participation remains a vital part of the decision-making process, and the Kansas Corporation Commission is working to address concerns and make adjustments where possible.