OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – The Oklahoma Corporation Commission is
considering granting public utility status to a Texas company that
wants to build an electricity transmission system from wind energy
farms in the Oklahoma Panhandle to Tennessee.
The three-member commission will meet Friday in Oklahoma City to
consider giving Clean Line Energy of Houston status as an
electricity transmission-only public utility in the state.
Clean Line wants to build a $3.5 billion electricity
transmission system across Oklahoma and Arkansas to serve western
Tennessee. Some local private property owners had opposed the
company’s request because conferring public utility status might
give the company eminent domain authority to acquire land for the
project.
The commission’s proposed order says it does not confer eminent
domain status on Clean Line and that it did not consider that
issue.