Zachary to Mussel Creek Transmission Project
Northeast Missouri Electric Power Cooperative (Northeast Power) is working in coordination with Tri-County Electric Cooperative and Adair County landowners on the siting and routing of a new 161 kV transmission line running from the Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI) Zachary Substation to the Adair County line.
What is the Zachary-Mussel Creek Transmission Project?
The Zachary-Mussel Creek Transmission Project is a new 161 kV transmission line running from Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois’ (ATXI) Zachary Substation (south of Kirksville) to the Adair County line.
During open house meetings in 2023, the project was originally discussed as a co-location project with ATXI. However, ATXI has run into some delays, which will prevent them from making a project commitment for up to 18 months. Because there is no certainty that the project will be a co-location at the end of 18 months, Northeast Power is moving ahead on the project without ATXI. If ATXI seeks a partnership on the project at a later date, they will need to secure separate easements with landowners as a co-located, double-circuit project.
Why is the Zachary-Mussel Creek Transmission Project needed?
To reliably meet the long-term needs of our electric cooperative members and communities, our engineering and planning teams have identified a need to upgrade transmission infrastructure in the region. Transmission infrastructure is a foundation of providing electric cooperative members with safe, reliable and affordable service.
Like our members, we belong to the communities we serve. We care about doing what’s best to meet short- and long-term needs for regional stability, potential growth and overall prosperity. Building this project secures much-needed infrastructure reliability for cooperative member-consumers’ ongoing and future needs.
How will this line be routed?
The new route for the project generally runs from ATXI’s existing Zachary substation in Adair County to the Adair County line. This includes approximately 15 miles of new transmission line.
Northeast Power places a high priority on developing a viable line route that takes landowners' potential concerns into consideration. Public meetings and landowner outreach efforts were held to ensure we are responsive to these concerns.
How does northern Missouri benefit from this project?
Improved transmission infrastructure benefits the regions they are located in by enhancing the efficiency of the regional transmission system, increasing access to energy sources and improving overall transmission system reliability. In addition to the easement payments to impacted landowners, the counties within the planned transmission route will benefit from tax payments to the county. Local economies often benefit from the new construction jobs and investment.
Preliminary Preferred Route
In the summer of 2023, Northeast Power held informational meetings to discuss a transmission project in Adair County.
Based on our assessments, the map below shows the preferred line route options. Electric cooperative representatives are working with impacted landowners to discuss the project in more detail, including the process to secure easements from landowners along the route.
As a locally owned and operated electric cooperative, we believe it is important to seek input from landowners that may be impacted by our projects. We greatly value the feedback provided during the informational meetings, as it provided critical input to make routing decisions that align with our mission to operate transparently and deliver financially responsible solutions in the best interests of our cooperatives and the members they serve.
Conceptual Structure Design Options
The below conceptual design describes the structure that is planned for this project as a single-circuit owned by the cooperatives. This diagram of a wooden H-frame structure shows the material and heights for these types of structures as well as the foundation specifications.
Additional Zachary to Mussel Creek transmission project information.
For Sullivan County landowners and stakeholders seeking information on NW Electric Power Cooperative's Locust Creek to Mussel Creek Transmission Project, visit NW Electric Power Cooperative.