MEDICINE LODGE, Kan., November 14, 2012 – ITC Great Plains, LLC today celebrated the beginning of construction of the V-Plan high-voltage transmission line project, the company’s second major transmission project in Kansas. At a groundbreaking ceremony near Medicine Lodge on the site of one of the project’s substations, ITC welcomed state and local officials, regional planning authorities, utility industry representatives and community leaders to mark the start of work on the 122-mile, 345,000 volt (345 kV) transmission line from Medicine Lodge to Spearville, Kan.
“As our second significant transmission project in Kansas, today’s V-Plan groundbreaking demonstrates the continuation of ITC’s long-term commitment to helping Kansas secure its energy future,” said Kristine Schmidt, president of ITC Great Plains. “It demonstrates the value of our business model as an independent transmission developer, and also our partnership approach. Collaboration with all our stakeholders is essential, and this project would not be possible without the support of Governor Sam Brownback and his administration, the Kansas Legislature, the Kansas Electric Transmission Authority, the Southwest Power Pool, and our utility partners, Sunflower Electric Power Corporation and Mid-Kansas Electric Company.”
“A robust electrical transmission grid will improve electric reliability and promote economic development and advancement in Kansas and beyond,” said Governor Brownback. “The V-Plan transmission line will provide a reliable high-voltage connection between eastern and western Kansas, enabling Kansans to enjoy the inherent quality of life benefits from a modern grid.”
ITC’s investment in a new high-voltage infrastructure within the Southwest Power Pool region is founded upon open access to the grid and collaboration with key energy stakeholders. ITC Great Plains is collaborating with local Kansas utilities Sunflower Electric and Mid-Kansas Electric Company on the V-Plan project.
“A growing load and increased compliance standards, along with a surge of wind interconnections, necessitates fortifying the transmission grid,” said Stuart Lowry, president and CEO of Sunflower and Mid-Kansas. “Upon completion of the V-Plan, we will have made great strides in expanding our ability to import and export both baseload and renewable energy throughout the region.”
“It’s gratifying to see another high-priority transmission project become a reality,” said State Rep. Carl Holmes, Chair of the Kansas Electric Transmission Authority (KETA). “ITC Great Plains’ completion of the KETA project and its launch of the V-Plan show a high level of commitment to strengthening the high-voltage grid in Kansas. We appreciate their efforts as we continue to work together to further expand the grid and connect with other states. That way all Kansans can have access to more diverse and competitive sources of energy.”
About the Kansas V-Plan Project
The Kansas V-Plan is a high-voltage transmission line designed to connect eastern and western Kansas to improve electric reliability and enable energy developers to tap into the transmission grid, further establishing a competitive energy market in the state. This will contribute to a stronger transmission grid that will benefit the entire region. Kansans will enjoy a robust grid that will increase reliability. In cooperation with Sunflower Electric Power Corporation and Mid-Kansas Electric Company, ITC Great Plains will design and construct approximately 122 miles of double-circuit, 345,000-volt lines from the Thistle substation that ITC will construct near Medicine Lodge, west to the new Clark County substation, then north to Spearville. The Kansas Corporation Commission approved the VPlan route in July 2011. For more information on the V-Plan project, visit http://www.itcholdings. com/itc-great-plains.html.
