Richland County board demands route, tower and compensation details from transmission developer

After more than two hours of public comment, the Richland County Board of Supervisors passed Resolution 2644, formally requesting that Midcon Grid Solutions (MGS) provide detailed documentation about the proposed BECI 765‑kilovolt transmission line. The resolution asks MGS for a parcel‑by‑parcel list of affected landowners, high‑resolution satellite maps showing existing easements and proposed tower locations, proposed easement expansions and proposed tower heights and renderings.

Clerk Harrison read the resolution into the record and the board amended the original due date, moving the deadline for written and electronic materials to Sept. 14, 2026. The board’s natural resources committee drafted the language; supporters said the request aims to advance transparency and allow townships, property owners and regulators to evaluate site‑specific impacts. “We hereby request that Midcon Grid Solutions... provide the following documentation in written electronic format no later than September 14, 2026,” the clerk read.

Corporation Counsel Nathan Russell told the board that, after an initial legal review, counties have few direct mechanisms under current state law to stop transmission projects and that ordinances aiming to block a line are likely to prompt costly declaratory‑judgment litigation. He recommended that property owners and townships, which are more likely to have standing, coordinate legal efforts if they pursue litigation.