You deserve the facts on the Valley North Project

The Valley North Project route is still in development, and Valley Link wants your input to help determine the best route. We hosted initial public open houses throughout June and July 2026 to gather feedback and answer questions from community members. At that point, only study segments for the project had been developed. The input we gathered, as well as technical requirements and environmental considerations, will be considered before potential routes are developed. Then, our project team will host another round of open houses in the fall to gather community feedback on these potential routes.

We’ll update our open house schedule as soon as new dates are determined. Until then, you’re welcome to visit our virtual open house and explore the topics we’ll cover during the live events. Community members are also invited to review route study segments and leave comments on our interactive mapping tool, GeoVoice.

 After all this feedback is gathered and considered, a preferred and alternate route will be submitted to the Public Service Commission, which ultimately votes on the project and final route. Once the route is finalized, Valley Link will begin working with any landowners affected to find the best possible outcome for them.

Property owners along the final route will maintain ownership of their land. Valley Link seeks to acquire easements, not ownership of entire properties, and will fairly compensate landowners based on appraisals and negotiations. Aside from safety restrictions, landowners can still use their property in an easement during construction. Many existing uses of the property — including farming, grazing and access roads — can continue after construction. Eminent domain is never the preferred option and would only be considered as a last resort if no viable alternatives exist.

Electric and magnetic fields (EMF) are produced whenever electricity is used and are found in common household appliances. Decades of research has not established a cause-and-effect relationship between power line EMF exposure and adverse health effects for humans or animals like pets and livestock. Valley Link is also conducting EMF modelling for the project and plans to submit those findings during the regulatory process.

You can learn more about EMF exposure from power lines on our online tool and at the resources linked below.

Research has generally found little evidence that transmission line proximity or visibility systematically reduces residential property values. While some studies identify modest, localized effects, findings vary by line type, distance, placement and local market conditions, and measured effects often diminish with distance. You can learn more about this research through the resources linked below.

When it comes to bills, we’re doing everything we can to minimize the impact of this project on ratepayers. Transmission costs are spread across millions of customers throughout the regional system and recovered over the life of the asset, which is typically 60 years. Rather than one local area covering the full cost, the project is supported collectively, reflecting its regional value in keeping the grid reliable and efficient.

It’s important to remember that transmission projects are different than distribution projects. Distribution upgrades are typically what impacts bills noticeably, while transmission upgrades like the Valley North Project usually do not have a significant impact on rates. Customer impacts will be relatively small compared to overall electric bills.

The Valley North Project strengthens the underlying system that supports everything from homes and local businesses to hospitals, schools and emergency services. It’s not about sending power somewhere else or serving a single customer or industry — it’s designed to maintain reliability and support future energy demand growth across the board.

Reliable transmission is foundational infrastructure: Nearly every essential service, existing employer and future economic opportunity depends on it. Valley North is necessary to address our country’s changing energy needs and keep up with other regions.

Much of our region’s infrastructure was built for lower, more stable demand. As usage increases and equipment ages, lines and substations can become constrained — especially during peak periods — putting reliable service at risk. Power demand in our region is expected to double over the next decade, and it’s true that this growth is driven in large part by the expansion of data centers. Valley Link is not involved with data centers, but it’s our responsibility to make sure homes, local businesses, schools and emergency systems have enough reliable energy as data centers come online and increase pressure on our grid. Inaction would mean allowing aging infrastructure and rising demand to place increasing strain on the system we all rely on. This project is necessary to ensure energy is reliably transmitted when it’s needed, where it’s needed, for whoever it’s needed — including you.

Plus, the Valley North Project offers long-term economic benefits. It will create jobs during construction, and the people in those jobs will frequent local businesses, which circulates money into local economies. Transmission construction also creates opportunities for contractors, suppliers and skilled tradespeople across areas such as site preparation, trucking, concrete, steel, electrical work and environmental restoration. And once construction is over, the improved infrastructure and strengthened energy reliability will make the region more attractive to businesses and therefore more jobseekers and residents. This cycles back into more local spending and expanded tax bases, providing additional resources that can support schools, public safety and other community priorities. No major employer will locate or expand where the power supply is uncertain. For many growing industries, sufficient transmission capacity is a prerequisite: without it, investment and jobs will simply go elsewhere. Without the Valley North Project, available power for future economic development projects will be limited for everyone.