Informed landowners in Iowa, Grant and Lafayette Counties have the option to consider working together to prevent some industrial-scale wind turbines from being included.

Each of the approximately 150 wind turbines in the Uplands power plant must be connected to expansive transmission networks comprised of dozens of 34,500 volt high voltage “connector lines. These lines that can be buried or carried on poles hold considerably more power than the existing distribution lines in the area.

As diagramed below, wind power plants require a large number of high voltage “Collection” lines that converge at Project Substations. The power from the Uplands Project Substations would then be transported through 41 miles of large-scale, high voltage, 345 kV transmission “Tie Lines” similar to the recently constructed and highly controversial Cardinal Hickory Creek (CHC) Transmission line. But unlike CHC, most of the 345 kV Tie Lines and 34.5 kV Connector Lines for Uplands would not follow pathways of existing transmission but rather new swaths across the properties of landowners who grant easements through “good neighbor” or other contracts.

When landowners choose to not provide access for these transmission facilities, it stands discourage the inclusion of nearby wind turbines or even more infrastructure.