Invenergy and supporters of its Grain Belt Express transmission line have gone to the Illinois State Supreme Court asking for a lower court ruling against the $7 billion project be overturned.
Grain Belt is meant to carry wind-powered electricity from southwest Kansas and across Missouri and Illinois to Indiana. Supporters, including the Illinois Commerce Commission told the Supreme Court the lower court ruling issued in August by an appeallate court would harm efforts to strengthen and build the energy infrastructure.
The lower court ruling, as reported by E&E News, concluded the approval by Illinois regulators was improper beccause Invenergy, based in Chicago, failed to show it is capable of financing the 780-mile power line.
Grain Belt supporters also claimed the three Republican justices on the lower court in southern Illinois misinterpreted the law and as a result, jeopardized the project and what it could contribute to the state.
