Missouri Supreme Court renews Grain Belt Express wind energy project with unanimous decision
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A unanimous decision by the Missouri Supreme Court is giving new life to a controversial wind energy project.
The court on Tuesday decided to send the case back to the Missouri Public Service Commission after they determined that the regulatory body did not have the authority to deny approval, saying it was up to the PSC to “determine whether Grain Belt’s proposed utility project is necessary or convenient for the public service.”
The judges wrote that the PSC had erred in using the ruling in a similar but unrelated case, a case involving ATXI in which the Missouri Court of Appeals had ruled that utilities need to get county assent for projects before the PSC could give approval.
The difference lies in the applications filed by the companies. ATXI had sought an area CCN, while Grain Belt asked for a line CCN. The Appeals Court did not establish a delineation between the two, though the two permits are worded differently in the statute.
Read more: https://themissouritimes.com/52426/missouri-supreme-court-renews-grain-belt-express-with-unanimous-decision/