A large crowd gathered in Mexico on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 for noon meeting and a chance to make public comments to the Missouri Public Service Commission in the Grain Belt Express Tiger Connector Spur case. It was a diverse crowd made up of farmers, landowners, business executives and more.

The Grain Belt Express LLC (Grain Belt) is seeking a Commission order amending its Certificate of Convenience and Necessity (CCN) and approving certain modifications to the conditions of the CCN granted by the Missouri Public Service Commission on March 20, 2019. According to the application, Grain Belt seeks Commission approval of the following material changes to the design and engineering of the project by relocating the Missouri converter station from Ralls County to Monroe County and increasing the capacity of the Missouri convertor station from 500 megawatts to 2,500, megawatts. They would also like to relocate the AC connector line from Ralls County to Monroe, Audrain and Callaway Counties (The AC tie line, known as the "Tiger Connector," will be about 40 miles, traversing south from the convertor station in Monroe County, through Audrain County, and terminating in Callaway County at the existing McCredie Substation. The Grain Belt Express wants to use eminent domain to secure easements.

Marilyn O'Bannon, from Monroe County and a Monroe County Commissioner spoke at the meeting in opposition to the project. "My family and I are landowners on the proposed Grain Belt Express route in Monroe County, and have farms near the Tiger Connector spur in Audrain County. Our family considers ourselves to be good stewards of the land. The investment in our land goes beyond the price paid for it because of the sustainable farming practices used to maintain soil for it highest productivity. In a sustainable world, all land would serve it highest and best purpose. Sustainable practices do not include chopping up the property for a gigantic transmission line. It does not seem like a wise decision to cross through the middle of farms," said O'Bannon.

The meeting lasted for over three hours and 36 people signed up to make public comments. 31 opposed the project including all three Audrain County Commissioners, Alan Winders, Tracy R. Graham, and Leslie Meyer.

"I do not believe this project should have the authority to use eminent domain. Therefore I am in opposition to this project," said Audrain County presiding commissioner Alan Winders. “Audrain County is a property rights county and we believe in the landowners’ ability to decide what should and should not go on their property,” Audrain County Associate Commissioner Leslie Meyer said. “The Tiger Connector Project goes against that philosophy. This is a private company that is taking advantage of a technicality in order to make money.”

Other objections to this project included health risks and factors with being close to high-voltage lines, and there is no real benefit coming back to citizens of Audrain and surrounding counties.
“There is no data that indicates a direct, positive impact to the citizens of Audrain County, in the form of electric rates or any other benefits,” Audrain County Associate Commissioner Tracy R. Graham said.
There were a total of five people who spoke in favor of the project. A farmer who owned land in Audrain County said the Grain Belt Express Project would create about 1,500 construction jobs to the area. A spokesman for the Centralia, MO based Hubbell Power Systems spoke in favor of the project due to contracts being signed with his company for the project.

The purpose of the meeting was to take evidence for an eventual trial that will take place in Jefferson City. Formal evidentiary hearings in this case are scheduled for May 22-26, 2023. These hearings will be held in Room 310 of the Governor Office Building in Jefferson City, 200 Madison Street.

The Missouri Public Service Commission regulates investor-owned electric, natural gas, steam, water and sewer companies and has limited authority over telephone providers in the state.