ITC briefs Gratiot County on Nelson Road–Oneida 345 kV line; landowners told of easement process and timeline

Glenn Terrell, regional manager for ITC, updated the Gratiot County Board of Commissioners on the Nelson Road–Oneida tranche of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator's (MISO) long‑range transmission plan, describing a 345 kilovolt line, the permitting status and next steps for affected landowners.

Terrell told commissioners that the Michigan Public Service Commission on July 10, 2025, approved an Act 30 certificate for the project and selected the alternate route the company had proposed. "ITC is the utility that operates the long range transmission, grid here in Lower Michigan," he said, explaining the company's role in moving bulk power and the need for new transmission capacity to improve reliability and manage increasing demand.

The project as described covers about 40 miles between Oneida Township in southern Eaton County and the Nelson Road substation in New Haven Township. Terrell said scheduled construction would begin in the first portion of third quarter 2028 and be completed in third quarter 2029. He noted the line would be 345 kV — the highest voltage ITC currently operates in Michigan — and that poles would generally be monopole steel structures about 125 to 180 feet tall spaced roughly 800 to 1,200 feet apart.

Why it matters: the transmission line will cross private farmland and other properties in and near Gratiot County, and landowners will be asked to grant easements. Terrell emphasized that land can often remain in agricultural use, but certain structures and irrigation systems such as center‑pivot systems may be restricted beneath a transmission easement.

Terrell said the route selection balanced many factors, including wetlands, private nature areas, residences and other constraints. He described a process for minor route modification requests for property owners and advised that ITC and its land agents are already contacting affected landowners. "There is a process for minor modification requests," he said, and gave a Jan. 5, 2026, target for the first round of such requests while adding the company would try to work with people after that date if necessary.

During a public Q&A residents and commissioners pressed ITC on routing choices, farming impacts and company ownership. One audience member said, "Because when I looked up your company, it said China." Terrell responded that ITC Holdings is headquartered in Novi and that ITC Holdings is owned by Fortis, a Canadian company. On ownership and procurement he said he could not confirm where every component is manufactured.

Terrell addressed farming concerns directly: easements are negotiable and can include compensation for diminished farming flexibility, he said, and land agents may place poles in areas that preserve farm operations when possible. On health and safety concerns raised by audience members, Terrell said the company adheres to federal and state clearance and safety standards and that modern 345 kV infrastructure produces no unusual audible noise at ground level compared with older lines.

He also explained how the project will be paid for: projects approved through the MISO planning process are allocated across the MISO footprint, and costs are recovered through regulated rates overseen by the Michigan Public Service Commission. "These projects that are MISO projects are gonna be distributed across the MISO footprint," Terrell said.

The presentation included contact information for land agents and a national field service operation ITC uses for easement negotiations; Terrell offered to help county officials connect constituents to the right contacts. He encouraged landowners with questions about easements, vegetation restrictions or construction timing to call or email the land‑agent numbers on the project notice.

Terrell closed by inviting further questions and saying ITC would continue outreach in the area. The board then moved to the next agenda item.

Contact and next steps: ITC advised landowners to review the public MPSC filings, contact the company's land agents, and consider filing any minor route modification requests before the Jan. 5, 2026 guideline date. Construction was presented as scheduled to begin in Q3 2028 with projected completion in Q3 2029.