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ROCK ISLAND CLEAN LINE
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS• Who is Clean Line Energy? Clean Line Energy develops long-haul,
high voltage direct current transmission lines connecting the best renewable resources in the United States with communities that need the power.
• What will the project cost and how will the Rock Island Clean Line be funded? The Rock Island Clean Line is estimated to cost approximately $1.7 billion. Clean Line Energy intends to fund the development costs of the project and will sell transmission capacity to renewable energy generators or to the buyers of the clean energy being delivered on the line.
• What is HVDC? HVDC stands for high voltage direct current. The electric grid is made up almost exclusively of AC transmission and distribution lines. Over long distances, HVDC lines can transfer significantly more power with greater efficiency than comparable AClines.
• How will Clean Line Energy minimize agricultural impacts? Clean Line Energy is committed to working extensively with landowners to minimize the impacts of our project to current land use. We will provide compensation for damages to crops and drainage tile caused by the construction of our project. Clean Line Energy will take land use into account when choosing structure design and will repair damage to soil conservation practices resulting from construction of the transmission line.
• How will Clean Line Energy minimize environmental impacts? Clean Line Energy is working extremely hard to be a good environmental steward. We are accountable to state and federal agencies regarding our environmental impacts and are conducting extensive outreach to environmental advocacy organizations.
CONTACT USClean Line Energy Partners1001 McKinney, Suite 700Houston, TX 77002
Clean Line Energy Contacts:Hans [email protected]
Cary [email protected]
Charlie [email protected]
Doug [email protected]
Beth [email protected]
KEY ENERGY TERMS
Onlinewww.rockislandcleanline.comwww.facebook.com/rockislandcleanline
Toll-Free Hotline1-877-907-8516
Alternating Current (AC) The movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction.
Current The movement or flow of electrons in a conductor. Current is measured in amperes (amps).
Converter Station A facility that converts alternating current (AC) to high voltage direct current (HVDC), or vice versa, for transport on HVDC transmission lines.
Direct Current (DC) The electric charge flows in only one direction.
Distribution An interconnected group of medium voltage power lines and equipment for the local delivery of electricity between the transmission network and customers. Typical distribution lines range from 15 kV to 34.5 kV.
Grid The interconnected transmission and distribution networks operated by electrical utilities that deliver electricity to customers.
Interconnection The process by which power generation sources connect to the grid in order to deliver the power they produce to customers.
Substation A point in the grid where two or more transmission lines come together into a series of switches for the control and protection of the grid and for transformation between voltage levels.
TransmissionAn interconnected group of high voltage (69 kV to 765 kV) power lines and equipment (like substations) that transport electricity between power sources and customers. Transmission lines are typically for bulk movement of power.
Voltage Electric pressure that drives an electric current through a circuit. Higher voltage lines generally carry power longer distances.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
The name of the project originates from the Rock Island Railroad, which stretches across Iowa and Illinois. Just as the Rock Island Railroad allowed farmers to move their goods to market, the Rock Island Clean Line will deliver clean energy to the communities that need it, representing the new farm-to-market road for the 21st century.
ABOUT THIS OPEN HOUSE
The purpose of this open house is to:• Seek your input• Discuss the need for transmission• Provide information on the Rock Island
Clean Line• Share our transmission line routing process
PROJECT FACT SHEET
ROCK ISLAND CLEAN LINE
THE CLEAN LINE ENERGY SOLUTION
The Clean Line Energy Solution: Clean Line Energy is developing long-haul, high voltage direct current transmission line projects to connect renewable energy resources to communities that needthe power.
The Challenge: The United States has some of the best renewable resources in the world; however, the transmission infrastructure does not exist to transport the energy generated from these resources to communities that need the power. Clean Line Energy is working to address this challenge.
$7 BILLION IN NEW WIND FARM INVESTMENTS
ENOUGH POWER TO PROVIDE ELECTRICITYTO 1.4 MILLION HOMES PER YEAR
$$ INCREASED MARKET COMPETITION BENEFITS CONSUMERS
MILLIONS PER YEAR IN PROPERTY TAX PAYMENTS
5,000+ CONSTRUCTION JOBS
500+ OPERATIONS JOBS
SIGNIFICANT POLLUTION REDUCTION
The Rock Island Clean Line is a 500-mile overhead, direct current transmission line that will transport clean energy from northwest Iowa to Illinois and other states to the east. The Rock Island Clean Line will deliver 3,500 megawatts of clean power, create thousands of jobs, support low-cost power, and result in cleaner air and water.
$1.7 BILLION INVESTMENT IN TRANMSISSION LINE PROJECT
NV
CA
AZ NM
KS
OK
MO
AR
IA
IL
TN
ROCK ISLAND
GRAIN BELT EXPRESS
CENTENNIAL WEST
PLAINS & EASTERN
ROCK ISLAND CLEAN LINE
2010 - 2013PUBLIC OUTREACH, REGULATORY APPROVAL, SITING,
PERMITTING AND BEGIN LAND ACQUISITION
JANUARY 2010 KICKOFF
510241023102210211020102
2013-2014SECURE CUSTOMERS AND FINALIZE
LAND ACQUISITION
ANTICIPATED PROJECT TIMELINE
We are here
ALTERNATIVE ROUTE CORRIDORS
2014-2016CONSTRUCTION
2016
KEY ACTIVITIES FOR 2010 - 2013
Public and Stakeholder Outreach and Siting• Public and stakeholder outreach• Route and converter station siting• Required public meetings necessary for easement acquisition• Regulatory approvals and permitting
• Iowa Utilities Board• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
ROUTING A TRANSMISSION LINEClean Line Energy has now spent almost two years working on the routing, environmental permitting, and technical aspects of the project, conducting over 300 in-person stakeholder meetings. Our ongoing routing process involves the review of a wide range of alternatives, consistent with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Our review includes, but is not limited to, potential impacts to:
• Residences• Agricultural land• State and federal lands• Recreational areas• Water resources• Known cultural resources• Schools• Airports/airstrips• Churches• Sensitive habitats and protected species• Community feedback• Government and conservation agency feedback• Stakeholder feedback• Engineering constraints, and other
This past June, our team hosted a series of 26 open house meetings across Iowa and Illinois, to present and seek feedback on our study corridors (shown in light grey in the map to the left),
Clean Line Energy has used the feedback we received at the open houses and research specific to the routing criteria listed above to narrow and in some places expand the study corridors into the current route corridors (shown in dark grey in the map to the left), At this round of meetings we will continue to seek public input and provide further information to landowners about the routing, regulatory and construction processes for the project. After receiving and reviewing additional stakeholder and agency input, Clean Line Energy will submit 145-200 foot-wide preferred routes to the Illinois Commerce Commission and Iowa Utilities Board. Additional permits or approvals will also be required from other federal, state and local government bodies.
Key Regulatory Agencies• Army Corps of Engineers• Illinois Commerce Commission• Iowa Utilities Board• Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
WHAT IS A STUDY CORRIDOR?A study corridor is a 3-mile-wide to 10-mile-wide study area that is being considered to determine a route for the Rock Island Clean Line.
WHAT IS A ROUTE CORRIDOR?The next step after evaluating a study corridor is to identify a route corridor, a 1/2-mile-wide area that is being considered to determine a route for the Rock Island Clean Line.
WHAT IS A ROUTE?The study corridor and route corridor will be used to determine a route. A route is an approximately 145-foot-wide to 200-foot-wide path along which the tramsmission line will be constructed.
