Cardinal-Hickory Creek Transmission Line is Needed Now More Than Ever

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ST. PAUL, MINN. (October 13, 2022) – The Dane County Circuit Court hearing today regarding the merits of the Cardinal-Hickory Creek Transmission Line represents yet another costly delay in the process of delivering much-needed, high-demand clean, affordable and reliable energy to the electric grid.

The Cardinal-Hickory Creek Transmission Line project is the last of the 17 Multi-Value Transmission Line projects that were approved by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) in 2011. Eleven years later, 127 renewable generation projects from six states are ready, willing and able to connect to this line. Combined, nearly 20 gigawatts of low-cost renewable generation are tied to Cardinal-Hickory Creek; including four proposed wind projects totaling nearly 900 megawatts and another 300 megawatt solar project in Wisconsin alone. "We have been waiting for – and needing – this line for 11 years," said Clean Grid Alliance Vice President, Advocacy Jeff Danielson. "Every year that goes by, means consumers lose, companies lose and the environment loses. It's a lose-lose-lose situation if the activists prevail in shutting down Cardinal Hickory Creek."

Cardinal-Hickory Creek has undergone exhaustive study and review by all the required agencies. This unnecessary litigation is holding up the delivery of clean, low-cost renewable energy in Wisconsin and across the Midwest.

Without Cardinal-Hickory Creek, renewable energy developers may be subject to curtailments, which could prevent them from delivering their full generation capacity. This ultimately hurts consumers who will pay the price through the loss of millions of dollars in jobs and economic benefits the project is expected to deliver over its lifespan. "Now is the time to connect clean energy economies across the Midwest," said Danielson. "Wisconsin and the broader Midwest will benefit from good family-supporting jobs, drought-proof sources of revenue for landowners, and low-cost home-grown reliable energy that Cardinal-Hickory Creek provides." Danielson added, "We cannot let baseless litigation stand in the way of delivering the clean energy future Midwesterners are rightfully demanding."

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Clean Grid Alliance (CGA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in St. Paul, Minn., whose mission is to advance renewable energy in the Midwest. Launched in 2001, CGA has been an active stakeholder in the MISO process at the state and regional levels and a leading organization working on transforming state energy policy. CGA's membership includes industry representatives working in wind, solar and storage as well as environmental nonprofit organizations, public interest groups, clean energy advocates, farm groups, and businesses providing goods and services to the renewable energy industry who come together to reduce carbon and deliver a renewable energy future. Learn more at cleangridalliance.org.