SOO GREEN SECURES FINAL MUNICIPAL FRANCHISE AGREEMENT, BRINGING PROJECT ONE STEP CLOSER TO CONSTRUCTION

Push for Coordinated Grid Investment Strategy to Begin in Springfield, Illinois

SPRINGFIELD, Ill., Sept. 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SOO Green, a jointly owned transmission project being developed by energyRe and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), today announced approval on the final municipal franchise agreement, giving the project an "all-clear" path to construction in Iowa. The project recently received approval from the town of Bellevue, meaning all 24 municipalities in Iowa that the project would run through have approved the agreement. 

"SOO Green represents a bold new model for building the energy grid of the future," said David Pacyna, CEO of SOO Green. "By going underground along existing rail infrastructure, we're dramatically reducing disruption to communities and landscapes while creating a vital energy superhighway that strengthens grid reliability and resiliency, optimizes transmission efficiency, and lowers long-term energy costs. At a time when the cost of electricity is rising, SOO Green will enable low-cost, reliable energy that will allow Illinois to compete in the 21^st Century economy."

SOO Green is a 2,100-megawatt High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission line that would power the equivalent of 1.5 million homes in Illinois, provide a boost of $3.2 billion into the regional economy during construction, support thousands of union jobs and enhance grid reliability and resilience.

Recent studies show SOO Green would "enable net savings $5.8 billion in the first 5 years of operation, translating to average residential electricity bill reductions of $5.67 a month for ComEd customers" by bringing affordable and reliable energy from Iowa to the Chicago area. 

"With this final municipal franchise secured, we're showing that the communities where this project will be sited fully support the effort," continued Pacyna. "We hope in the coming Veto Session that legislators in Springfield will get behind a process that allows us to compete for business because we know the value and benefits of this project are undeniable." 

The 350-mile underground transmission line would connect Mason City, Iowa, to Yorkville, Illinois, utilizing existing railroad corridors to avoid the environmental and land use conflicts typically associated with overhead lines. The project connects two major electricity markets, MISO and PJM, ensuring the reliable transfer of renewable energy between the Midwest and Eastern U.S. markets. 

SOO Green is advocating for a more coordinated transmission investment process in Illinois that will lead to greater reliability for rate payers and lower costs. The project could begin construction as early as 2027 and commercial operation is targeted for 2031. 

SOO Green is being developed in partnership with leading energy and infrastructure firms including energyRe, a US based energy developer focused on meeting rising electricity demand with affordable and reliable power, in addition to Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, Siemens Energy, Jingoli Power, Prysmian Group and PPL Corporation.

To learn more, visit www.soogreen.com.

SOURCE energyRe