UPDATED: Huge Power Line Route Slated for CoCo; Sept. 7 Public Feedback Deadline
Photo simulation by Tim Escher
Editor’s Note: The information below was posted by Columbia County Board Member Tess Carr on her Facebook Page. We present it here verbatim. Visit her page to leave comments, and learn more about the Columbia County Board.
So much news, so little time! But here is the big breaking news to share NOW:
There is a new, high-voltage power line coming to Columbia County, and I recommend that we advocate for its thoughtful, reasonable siting BY SEPT. 7 AND in the months to come.
I will try to give the most important points here and leave the comments open. Please forgive any errors -- I just learned about this a few days ago, and it's a lot to process!
WHAT: The line is the BECI (Bell Center-Columbia-Sugar Creek-Illinois) 765-kV transmission line project. Towers will be 175 feet high, with right-of-way widths of 180 feet. (This dwarfs the existing 345-kV American Transmission Company power line [with approx. 100-foot towers] that runs down the Interstate 94 corridor.)
WHO: MGS, or Midcontinent Grid Solutions, is the company (it is a joint venture between Transource Energy and BHE Transmission, and it is backed by Berkshire-Hathaway) who received the contract in January, 2026, from MISO, or Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which is the electrical grid operator for the central 15 US states and one Canadian province.
WHERE: The line will connect a new line in Minnesota to a new line in Illinois, and it will run 190 miles through Crawford, Richland, Sauk, Columbia, possibly Dane, possibly Dodge, Jefferson, and Walworth Counties in Wisconsin. The reason all of the counties are not known is that there are currently several proposed different routes. All of the routes go through the Columbia power station in Portage, but NONE OF THE PROPOSED ROUTES RUNS ALONG THE INTERSTATE 94 CORRIDOR, as would seem logical. Instead, they run through small communities, farms, and particularly in the Driftless Region, through fragile and economically essential environmental and aesthetic resources.
HOW: This project was approved by MISO in December 2024 and permitted by FERC, or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, in June 2026. Normally, federal permitting of a major project like this would undergo extensive public notice and comment and environmental review, but pursuant to recent Trump administration executive orders, Federal Register notices, and administrative memoranda, these requirements have been substantially curtailed. (Please note, this is a factual explanation for the apparent shocking fast-tracking of this project; this is not a partisan opinion. See, e.g. Executive Order 14154 (Jan. 20, 2025), "Unleashing American Energy," directing the Council on Environmental Quality to rescind rules requiring draft environment impact statements and long public comment periods; the Federal Register of Feb. 25, 2025, "Removal of National Environmental Policy Act Implementing Regulations"; and Executive Order 14270 (April 9, 2025), "Zero-Based Regulatory Budgeting to Unleash American Energy," directing 10 federal agencies with energy-related oversight to initiate processes to sunset many or all of their existing regulations).
The line's physical construction and actual route must be approved separately by state regulators, specifically Wisconsin Public Service Commission (PSC).
WHEN: The PSC will likely receive MGS's application in early 2027. Please note: The PSC is led by three directors appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate. Gubernatorial candidate Tom Tiffany's campaign platform focuses heavily on cutting state bureaucracy and reducing regulatory red tape. This could lead to potentially more pro-business, less individual- and environment-protective PSC directors and policies as of January 2027. (Again, this is a relevant and factual comment about Tiffany's stated platform, not a partisan opinion. Tiffany's campaign website states that he will drive down energy costs by "unleashing reliable baseload power.")
MORE ABOUT WHEN: After the PSC receives such applications, it (currently) requires a lengthy environmental assessment process and public comment opportunity. Stay tuned for those dates!
HOWEVER, MGS itself is also currently soliciting comment - ONLY UNTIL SEPTEMBER 7th. In recent letters to landowners, MSG stated that its public engagement begins "in late summer 2026" -- yet it is requesting public feedback by September 7! Its first open house will not be until August 24 -- BUT IT REQUESTS OUR COMMENTS BY SEPTEMBER 7. So, let's do it!
WHAT CAN WE DO? Municipalities are mobilizing quickly to provide official feedback on the proposed routes, and I successfully advocated for a County vote on a feedback resolution this Wednesday (meeting is at 6:00 pm). I believe this project should be sited along existing right-of-way corridors for minimal impact to our county residents. Residents and businesses may also email MGS at connect@mgswisconsin.com or leave phone messages at 608-895-0798. And you are encouraged to attend MGS's open houses, where there will also be an opportunity for comment (please visit this link for dates and locations: https://mgs-projects.com/BECI#open-house).
Editor’s Note: Information on this subject will be updated as it becomes available.
Midcontinent Grid Solutions
“Open House” Schedule
Richland County
Monday, August 24, 10 AM-1 PM
Richland Center High School: 1996 US-14 W, Richland Center, WI 53581
Crawford County
Monday, August 24, 4-7 PM
Gays Mills Community Center: 16381 WI-131, Gays Mills, WI 54631
Sauk County
Tuesday, August 25, 10 AM-1 PM
UW-Platteville Baraboo (Lange Center): 1006 Connie Rd., Baraboo, WI 53913
Columbia County
Tuesday, August 25, 4-7 PM
Whispering Pines: 101 Bethel Dr., Poynette, WI 53955
Jefferson County
Wednesday, August 26, 10 AM-1 PM
County Fairgrounds Activity Center: 503 N Jackson Ave., Jefferson, WI 53549
Dane County/Dodge County
Wednesday, August 26, 4-7 PM
The Round Table: 1611 N Bristol St., Sun Prairie, WI 53590
Walworth County
Thursday, August 27, 10 AM-1 PM
Lake Lawn Resort: 2400 E Geneva St., Delavan, WI 53115
Rock County
Thursday, August 27, 4-7 PM
Woodman's Center: 2510 Milton Ave., Janesville, WI 53545
Comments by CD 6 Candidate Brad Smith on the Powerline
More information:
MGS Openhouse Website:
https://mgs-projects.com/BECI#open-house
Public Website:
www.no765line.org
Public Facebook Page
No 765kV Line (West Point Neighbors)
Report from ‘Dekorra Happenings’
The following is a summary from Dekorra resident Sandy Smith’s well regarded Facebook Page. Visit the page for more information.
Attendees at August 19, 2026 Columbia County Board of Supervisors meeting (Photo from NO 765kV Line (West Point Neighbors Facebook page.)
For those of you who didn't go to the County Board meeting tonight (August 19, 2026) here is an update: The county board unanimously passed a resolution that states that farmland, Gibraltar Rock and rural areas of Columbia County should be preserved. Any power lines installed should follow state law that the first route considered should be an established corridor where transmission lines are already existing. Bravo to Denise Brusveen from Dekorra who fights for Dekorra residents.
WI State Senator Sarah Keyeski stated that a tower would be in her backyard but she represents her whole district and wants to hear from her constituents. The county will be sending the resolution to the governor. PSC (?), state reps and Midcontinent Grid Solutions. This is not over. Once Midcontinent puts forth their route and applies to the PSC (Feb 2027) then it will come back to the county and towns again for review.