Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois (ATXI) , in collaboration with Ameren Illinois (AIC) and Citizens Electric Corporation, is proposing the Grand Tower Crossing Project (Project) to improve energy reliability for local communities. This Project includes the construction of a new, approximately 4-mile, 138 kV transmission line to connect Citizens Electric’s existing Wittenberg substation in Perry County, Missouri across the Mississippi River to a new Jenkins substation near Ameren Illinois' existing Grand Tower substation in Jackson County, Illinois. As part of the project, Ameren Illinois' Grand Tower substation will be retired. The goal is to have this new line in service and providing benefits to the local community by the end of 2028.
The team will undertake a robust stakeholder and community engagement process as we prepare to apply for a Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) from the Missouri Public Service Commission (MoPSC). Community leaders and members of the public are encouraged to get involved in several ways throughout the routing process including attending in person open houses and visiting our online engagement opportunities we’ll host during early 2025.
Thursday, January 16, 2025
11:00 am- 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm- 7:00 pm
Perryville Knights of Columbus
31 Church St.
Perryville, MO 63775
We welcome your attendance at our in person open house. All Illinois and Missouri community members are welcome. Both open houses will include the same information, with no formal presentation. Come and go as you please during the two-hour window.
Unable to attend the open houses? View our self-paced, virtual engagement and interactive comment map to learn about the project and provide feedback starting January 13, 2025.
We have a designated project hotline and email address that the public can use to get in touch with members of our project team. Have a question? Please contact us using one of the methods below.
Grand Tower Crossing Project
Attn: HDR
401 S 18th St
Suite 300
St. Louis, MO 63103
This Project includes the construction of a new, approximately 4-mile, 138 kV transmission line to connect Citizens Electric’s existing Wittenberg substation in Perry County, Missouri across the Mississippi River to a new Jenkins substation near Ameren Illinois' existing Grand Tower substation in Jackson County, Illinois.
The project is located in Perry County, Missouri, and Jackson County, Illinois.
Although this is a collaborative effort, ATXI and Citizen’s Electric Corporation will develop separate components of the project. ATXI is responsible for developing the new, 4-mile transmission line, river crossing, and the construction of the new AIC Jenkins substation in Illinois. Citizen’s Electric Corporation will expand the existing Wittenburg substation in Missouri.
The Grand Tower River Crossing Project is needed to improve energy reliability for local communities and replace aging infrastructure.
The existing Grand Tower substation parcel is under plans for redevelopment. Replacing this aging infrastructure on the new Jenkins substation property nearby will improve energy reliability and provide smart grid technology. The Grand Tower substation is anticipated to be retired by the end of 2028.
The purpose of our public engagement is for stakeholders and landowners to learn about the project area, discuss questions/issues with our program team, and provide input on sensitivities and opportunities to help our team develop a route. We appreciate your participation and we hold these public meetings and engagement opportunities to gather input, answer questions, and understand the Project Area from your perspective. The timing and need for the public meetings is aligned with the project milestones.
We appreciate your participation. We not only want your comments, but we also encourage them. You can submit questions, leave a comment, provide input, or express concerns on through our web comment form here. We also have a dedicated hotline 800.488.7119. If you leave a message, a program representative will return your call. You can also send us an email at connect@grandtowercrossing.com.
Ameren will coordinate with various environmental and cultural-directed regulatory agencies including, but not necessarily limited to, the, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Missouri, and Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Missouri Department of Conservation, Illinois Environmental Protection Agency, and state historic preservation offices. They have also all been invited to attend our meetings. Ameren has a strong commitment to incorporating environmental management and sustainability principles into our work: Environmental Stewardship - Ameren.com.
Ameren uses an avian-safe structure design and flight diverters where necessary as part of our corporate Avian Protection Plan to minimize impacts to migratory birds.
As a part of Ameren’s evaluation of potential routes, the minimization of environmental impacts, including those to threatened and endangered species, is a priority, and we have dedicated, qualified team members to provide expertise and guidance toward this goal. As a part of this routing evaluation, Ameren will prioritize those route that will avoid or minimize impacts to threatened and endangered species. Ameren will work with state and federal agencies to identify potential impacts and compensate/mitigate for such occurrences as required for any unavoidable impacts. In most cases through implantation of various conservation measures Ameren can avoid or substantially minimize impacts to most species. Many threatened and endangered species inhabit our ROWs after construction, especially where native vegetation and habitats are established as part of the restoration and ongoing maintenance efforts throughout the project's life. Ameren will work with landowners during the restoration process to identify opportunities for creating quality habitats that may be beneficial to protected species and other more common species