ATXI finishes $130m Spoon River transmission project in Illinois

Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois has commissioned the $130m Spoon River transmission project which is 70 km long, 345,000-volt transmission line built between Galesburg and Peoria in Illinois.

The Spoon River Transmission Project to provide local and regional benefits, including enhanced energy-grid reliability, increased transmission capacity extending greater access to lower-cost energy including wind.

ATXI chairman and president Shawn E. Schukar said: “We are grateful for the feedback and cooperation we received from landowners, communities and the Illinois Commerce Commission.

The $130 million project, which included construction of two new substations, was completed under budget and nine months ahead of schedule due to efficient project execution that included the use of helicopters to install the transmission line.

Helicopters increase the efficiency of construction when compared to conventional methods, and they also lower the environmental impact to farmland because fewer pieces of heavy equipment are required on the transmission rights of way.