A proposed 55-mile power line stretching across three Mid-Michigan counties is moving closer to state review, with residents getting another opportunity to weigh in on where the transmission line could be built.
ITC Michigan filed a construction plan Wednesday, Nov. 4, with the Michigan Public Service Commission for its Oneida-Sabine Lake project, a proposed 345-kilovolt transmission line connecting Eaton and Livingston counties.
The filing outlines a proposed route and three alternatives across 16 municipalities in Eaton, Ingham and Livingston counties. The line would connect an existing substation in Oneida Township to a new substation in Cohoctah Township.
The project is part of a broader regional effort to expand the electric transmission grid across the Midwest. ITC says the new infrastructure would improve reliability and help meet future electricity demands.
But the proposal has also raised questions among residents about where the power lines would be built and how nearby properties and communities could be affected.
WKAR previously reported on residents seeking answers about the project as ITC began holding community meetings earlier this year.
Under Michigan's Electric Transmission Line Certification Act, companies must file a construction plan, notify affected municipalities and hold public meetings before formally applying for state approval.
ITC has scheduled 16 public meetings from Jan. 5 through Jan. 14, 2027, across the three counties. According to the company, about 22,000 residents near the proposed routes will receive invitations by mail.
“We take all of the comments that we received at the public meetings, and then we start to review those and consider them before we file our official application,” said Breina Pugh, a regional manager for ITC.
Residents can review maps of the proposed and alternative routes and find meeting locations on the project's website.
ITC must wait at least six months after the required public meetings before submitting its formal application to the state. The company expects to seek approval in summer 2027.
Once the application is filed, the Public Service Commission will have one year to approve or deny the project. The process includes a review of evidence, testimony and legal arguments.
The commission could approve the company's proposed route, approve an alternative route or reject the application.
If approved, ITC expects construction to begin in 2030, with the transmission line entering service in 2032.
