Ameren Transmission is inviting community members to provide input on the Illinois Valley Reliability Project, a 23-mile transmission line designed to boost energy reliability, strengthen the grid and support local growth in Bureau and LaSalle counties.
Open houses will be held:
- Wednesday, Nov. 5: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. at Peru City Hall, 1901 4th St., Peru
- Thursday, Nov. 6: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. at Bureau County Metro Center, 837 Park Avenue West, Princeton
- A virtual open house will be available on the project’s website from Nov. 4 to Nov. 17.
Construction of a new switching station
The Illinois Valley Reliability Project includes construction of a new, approximately 23-mile, 138-kilovolt transmission line; upgrades to the existing Princeton substation; and construction of a new switching station, to be called Lima, near Peru. The transmission line will connect the new Lima switching station to the upgraded Princeton substation.
Each open house will share identical information, including project updates, and give residents the opportunity to review potential route segments and provide input. All sessions are informal, with no set agenda or presentation – attendees may come and go at their convenience. A virtual open house option will be available online from Nov. 4 to Nov. 17, 2025.
Virtual option features
The virtual option features a slide deck with project and routing details, along with an interactive map where comments can be added. More information is available on the project website. This will be the final round of open houses for this project.
“We appreciate the valuable feedback we’ve received from neighbors during our previous open houses, and we’ve used that input to help further refine route options that reflect community priorities and considerations,” said Keith Jones, Project Manager for the Illinois Valley Reliability Project, adding “We look forward to sharing project updates with the community and encourage residents of Bureau and LaSalle counties to join us.”