Salem Bulk – Valley View Project

As of June 2023, we are currently working with landowners to obtain easements. The project is being constructed in three phases:

• Salem Bulk to Sprott
• Spott to Kinsey
• Kinsey to Valley View

Construction on the project is expected to begin in 2023 and placed in-service serving the community in early 2026.

To strengthen grid reliability and support growing local energy needs. This transmission line will allow Citizens Electric the flexibility to more quickly and efficiently re-route power to its members during an outage event and will energize two future substations along its path. These new substations will spread the load that is being served by two existing substations.

No. The new transmission line will be safe for the community. There are no scientifically proven health effects from living/working near a 69kV transmission line. Additionally, Citizens Electric rates will not increase from this new line. We are committed to safety during our construction and maintenance activities. Our crews go to great lengths to minimize the disturbance to landowner’s property and will work hard to restore property to pre-construction conditions.

Existing lines cannot be used for several reasons. Most importantly, there are not existing transmission lines connecting the Salem Bulk and Valley View substations. It is necessary to build a new transmission line through strategic areas in the county in order to energize two new future substations that will provide better support of the distribution system is those specific areas. The new substations reduce the potential for widespread outages caused by one line being down. Additionally, not all lines in the area are owned by Wabash Valley Power Alliance or Citizens Electric Corporation. Also, the existing lines are not configured for 69 kv transmission.

An easement is an interest or right to use a portion of the land of another for a specific purpose. For this Project, landowners will be requested to grant an easement to Wabash Valley Power Alliance for the right to use a defined strip of land for the construction, operation and maintenance of the electric transmission line.  Landowners will be fairly compensated for this right. WVPA and the land agents acting on their behalf will not be purchasing property, only an easement.

Agricultural activities such as farming row crops, livestock grazing, etc. and recreational activities such as hunting are allowed within the easement area. This should not change the nature of the properties surrounding the line meaning that if the easement is already part of a golf course community, it can continue to be surrounded by golf course. In order to maintain safety for our community and to ensure the safe transmission of power, trees & bushes underneath these lines cannot touch the lines and should provide clearance for our line crews so we may maintain the lines.

During phase 1 of engagement starting in March 2021, we received 280 comments. We hosted two public meetings to inform the community about the project and gather additional input. We sent out meeting notifications to every landowner in the study area, published an ad online and in local media. The virtual public meeting was attended by 65 people and the telephone public meeting attended by 66 people.

In May 2021, we used community insight to narrow the corridors down to four Proposed Route Options. For phase 2 of engagement, we published more ads online and in local press. Letters and maps were sent to every landowner in the study area, which included information on public meetings and engagement opportunities. We had 48 community members attend our virtual public meeting on May 12 and 48 attend our telephone public meeting on May 13. We received 241 comments about opportunities and constraints, including the location of sinkholes, specialty crops, fence lines. This information has led us to the Final Proposed Route.