Indiana Michigan Power (I&M) employees and representatives appreciated the opportunity to talk with more than 1,000 community members who participated in recent open houses regarding the proposed Lulu-Sorenson Transmission Improvements Project.
The Lulu-Sorenson Transmission Improvements Project is a proposed high-voltage transmission project being developed by Indiana Michigan Power and AEP Transmission as part of a regional grid expansion planned by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator. The project would add about 75 miles of 765-kilovolt transmission line between the Sorenson Substation in Huntington County and the Indiana-Michigan state line, with the study area extending through portions of Allen, DeKalb, Huntington, Noble, Steuben, and Whitley counties. Plans call for steel transmission structures averaging about 175 feet tall within a 180- to 200-foot-wide right-of-way. The project is intended to improve regional electric reliability and transmission capacity, while proposed routes have also drawn concerns from some landowners and residents about potential effects on farmland, drainage, property values, residential areas, and natural features. Construction is currently projected to begin in 2029, with the line scheduled to be placed in service in 2033.
Since then, I&M has heard from landowners, residents, and community members that they would like more time to provide feedback on the proposed transmission routes. In response, I&M is extending the public comment period through Nov. 13…