Rockwood-Big River Project: FAQs
1.	Q.	Why is this project necessary?
	A.	The Rockwood-Big River Project is designed to reduce outage timeframes to the Jefferson and St. Louis Counties by providing an additional transmission line feed in the area. Electric load in Jefferson County and Southwest St. Louis County has grown 30 percent since AmerenUE's last major transmission system upgrade in the area in 1993. The company expects electric load to continue to grow by about 2-3 percent per year. To meet the area's growing electricity needs, AmerenUE must improve the transmission system to ensure continued reliability for existing customers and to provide additional capacity for future growth.    The $7.5 million Rockwood-Big River project will involve building a 138,000-volt transmission line extending 12 miles from Rockwood Substation, located approximately 1.5 miles east of Pacific, to Big River Substation, near Cedar Hill.    The line will be constructed using predominantly two-pole wood "H-frame" structures ranging in height from 80 to 100 feet.    AmerenUE expects to begin construction on the project in September 2009 and complete it by December 2010.
2.	Q.	Who will benefit from this project?
	A.	The Rockwood-Big River project will primarily benefit AmerenUE customers in or adjacent to the communities of Eureka, Pacific, Byrnesville, Cedar Hill, Dittmer, House Springs and Scottsdale.
3.	Q.	What would happen if AmerenUE did not build this project?
	A.	Failure to build this transmission line to keep up with the area's growing electricity needs would eventually result in power supply problems, reducing reliability and hampering future economic growth.
4.	Q.	Does AmerenUE need to get approval from the Missouri Public Service Commission to build this project?
	A.	As a regulated public utility, AmerenUE has an obligation to build and maintain the necessary facilities to provide safe and reliable service to its customers. This project is being conducted as part of that obligation. Since this project will be entirely within AmerenUE's existing service area, PSC approval is not required, although AmerenUE does keep the PSC staff informed of such projects.
5.	Q.	How did AmerenUE select the route for the new transmission line?
	A.	In choosing routes for new transmission facilities, AmerenUE attempts to minimize the impact on property owners, the community and the environment. Of course, cost is a factor, too, because as a regulated public utility, AmerenUE has an obligation to manage such projects responsibly to help keep electric rates reasonable for customers.
			In developing the Rockwood-Big River project, AmerenUE studied the geography and land-use patterns of the area.
			We have also consulted with city and county officials, business leaders, realtors, state resource agency officials, and others who are knowledgeable about the area.
			Based on the input received, along with engineering and other technical considerations, we identified several alternate routes for presentation to the public.
			In late August 2007, we sent letters to everyone who owns property within 300 feet of any of the proposed routes, inviting them to workshops to discuss the project in September 2007.
			At the workshops, property owners were able to meet with the AmerenUE team members who are responsible for the project, view detailed maps and aerial photographs, ask questions, and provide comments.
			Those who were not able to make it to the workshop could mail or fax comments to AmerenUE or call to discuss the project.
			In choosing a final route for the new transmission line, we will consider the comments and recommendations received at the workshops and in meetings with individual property owners.
6.	Q.	How much property will AmerenUE need to obtain for this project?
	A.	AmerenUE will not have to purchase any property for the new line-only easements. Affected property owners will continue to own their land.
7.	Q.	How many easements will AmerenUE need to acquire?
	A.	AmerenUE will need to acquire easements from approximately 35 to 45 property owners.
8.	Q.	How big will these easements have to be?
	A.	The easements will be 100 feet wide, with the transmission lines, themselves, placed in the middle.
9.	Q.	What if AmerenUE needs to obtain an easement and the property owner doesn’t want to grant the easement? Will you acquire the easement anyway through condemnation?
	A.	When AmerenUE needs to acquire easements, the company makes a strong effort to work with the property owners and the community to select a route that will have the least overall impact. Property owners are paid fair market value for the property rights that need to be acquired. Condemnation is a last resort-used only when there are no feasible alternatives.    For example, AmerenUE acquires approximately 750 transmission and distribution easements each year. Less than 2 percent of those easements are acquired through eminent domain.
10.	Q.	Will anyone have to relocate to make way for the new transmission lines? Will any productive farmland be lost?
	A.	Our goal in the route selection process is to avoid occupied residences. Farming and recreational activities are generally not affected by the presence of transmission lines.
11.	Q.	Now that you have chosen a final route, what happens next?
	A.	We will send letters to all property owners along the final route chosen, advising them of the route selected and the next steps in the project. We will begin meeting with individual property owners along the route to negotiate fair compensation for the necessary easements.   We expect to begin land clearing for the new line in September 2009, with actual construction to begin in December 2009. Work is expected to be completed and line placed in service by December 2010.
12.	Q.	How much disruption will the work cause to property along the route? Will you fix any damage?
	A.	As with any construction project, machinery and heavy equipment will cause some temporary disruption. However, AmerenUE will fix any damage or provide acceptable compensation to the property owner.