The Illinois Valley Reliability Project will improve energy reliability and resiliency for local homes and businesses, upgrade existing infrastructure, and support long-term economic growth in the region. Our goal is to have the Project in service and providing benefits to local communities in late 2029.
Ameren Transmission will undertake a robust stakeholder and community engagement process as we prepare to apply for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) from the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). 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, viewing virtual open houses, and filling out comment forms at meetings and online on the interactive map.
We will hold three rounds of in-person and virtual public open houses to introduce the study area, potential route segments, and the project needs and benefits. During the in-person open houses, subject matter experts from different departments of Ameren (such as engineering, real estate, siting, environmental, safety and construction) will be available to answer questions about the Project and collect public feedback. This feedback will be carefully considered by our siting team as they work to design a constructible route for the line.
The first round of open houses will be held on August 5 in Princeton and on August 6 in Peru. Both sessions will include the same information, with no formal presentation. Input collected on the route segments shown during these open houses will be factored into identifying potential route alternatives in the study area. An interactive map will be available for feedback and comments Aug. 4-15, 2025. Additional open houses will be held in September and November 2025.
In-Person
Tuesday, August 5
11am - 1pm & 5-7pm
Bureau County Metro Center
837 Park Ave. West
Princeton, IL 61356
In-Person
Wednesday, August 6
11am - 1pm & 5-7pm
Peru City Hall
1901 4th St.
Peru, IL 61354
Virtual
Virtual Open House
Coming Soon
August 4 - August 15
Coming Soon
The entire Project is expected to be complete by the end of 2029. Ameren is currently in the public outreach phase of the Project. There will be ongoing outreach with stakeholders, landowners and residents, businesses and other community members before, during and after construction.
*All items shown are pending regulatory approvals. Schedule is subject to change.
Developing a transmission route is a phased process that involves collaboration with agencies, community members and landowners to collect information that helps our team understand and identify opportunities and sensitivities within the Bureau and LaSalle Project area.
Our team started by using data from publicly available sources to create our Study Area. We considered existing utility corridors, existing land use, resource areas, natural environment data and field survey data to help minimize impacts while providing feasible route opportunities.
Open House Round 1
Next, our team uses data collected from stakeholders and federal, state and local agencies, as well as the four categories of routing criteria – Opportunities, Sensitivities, Technical Guidelines, and Statutory Requirements – to develop potential Route Segments that are shared with the public during our first open house.
Open House Round 2
Our team then develops Preliminary Route Alternatives using the routing criteria, as well as input received from stakeholders and community members during our first round of public engagement and shares those routes with the public during our second open house.
Open House Round 3
Using routing criteria and comments collected from the community during the second round of open houses, our team will narrow down the number of Preliminary Route Alternatives and identify Preferred Route Alternatives. We will share these routes during our third open house.
File CPCN Application with ICC
After we collect data and input on the Preferred Route Alternatives, our team will select a “Primary Route” and an “Alternate Route” to present in the application to the ICC for a CPCN.
We have a designated Project hotline and email address 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.
Call 833.478.7733
Ameren Illinois Pioneer Park Operating Center
Attn: Illinois Valley Reliability Project
8420 N. University Street
Peoria, IL 61615