Power grid upgrades topic of open houses in Bureau, LaSalle counties

PERU, Ill. (KWQC) - Ameren Transmission is hosting public open houses this week on upgrading the grid in Bureau and LaSalle counties.

The proposed Illinois Valley Reliability Project is designed to support energy reliability and resiliency across the region, officials said.

Project manager Keith Jones said right now, Princeton only has one transmission line to get power to town.

The project includes:

• construction of a new 23-mile, 138-kilovolt transmission line
• upgrades to the existing Princeton substation
• construction of a new switching station, to be called Lima, near Peru.

The proposed transmission line would connect the new Lima switching station to the upgraded Princeton substation to make service more reliable, officials said.

Why does Princeton only have one transmission feed?

Three years ago, a tornado took out 23 Ameren transmission poles, leaving the city with no second feed into towns.

When that one feed fails, the city has to generate its own power, and the city’s superintendent of electrical, Jeff Mangrich, says it’s expensive to do that.

“It costs more to generate our own power than when we could buy it from Illinois Municipal Electric Agency, which is our wholesale supplier,” he said. “Plus, we have personnel that have to man these things 24 hours a day, seven days a week.”

But it’s not just about creating a safety net; officials say this project would also give Princeton the tools to grow.

“Having that additional 138-kilovolt capacity gives cities like Peru, cities like Princeton, and cities like Ladd access to more capacity for more industrial growth, more local growth for more homes, and more businesses,” Jones said.

The possibilities are endless, added Mangrich.

But right now, power in Princeton is tied up.

“We’re kind of limited right now with capacity for new customers, and this will make a huge difference,” Mangrich said.

Each open house will offer information about the project and an opportunity to provide feedback on potential route segments.

“We’re paying attention to all of the environmental sensitivities. Making sure that we’re thinking about the farmers. Making sure that we’re thinking about our individuals who fish and hunt—all of those things are considered so that we can make sure we’re making good, informed decisions," Jones said.

Each session will include the same information, with no formal presentation. A self-paced virtual engagement and comment map will also be available online from Aug. 4-15.

The project is scheduled to be in service by late 2029, officials said. For more information, click here.