Gov. Laura Kelly announces nearly 1,000 permanent jobs, $8 billion of total investment to Kansas

Gov. Laura Kelly joined Kansas Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary for Business Development Bill Murphy and Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs for Invenergy Kris Zadlo on Sept. 30 to announce Invenergy’s new Grain Belt Express transmission line.

“Kansas is uniquely positioned to be a regional and national leader in the development and expansion of clean and renewable energy,” Kelly said. “The Grain Belt Express will be instrumental in helping to power Kansas and other states, and will bring nearly 1,000 jobs and billions in economic investment and energy savings to our state. My administration is committed to rebuilding our foundation and supporting key investments that will continue to boost economic development, recruit businesses, foster a healthy workforce, and produce sustained growth.”

According to an analysis on behalf of the company, the Grain Belt Express will create up to 22,525 jobs supported over the three-year construction period, 968 full-time, permanent operations jobs, and $8 billion of total, long-term economic investment in Kansas. Additionally, the project will save up to $7 billion in electricity costs for Kansas and Missouri consumers through 2045, and produce $3.7 billion in economic output during construction and $235 million in annual economic output once operations begin.

“All of us in the Kelly administration are extremely proud of our state’s position as a national leader in wind energy production—and we know the future is even brighter on this important front,” Murphy said. “Not only is Kansas wind energy production good for the environment, it’s also good for business. Wind energy is a proven job creator that employs thousands of Kansans, and has helped to fuel our state’s economy with billions of dollars in capital investment.”

Grain Belt Express will begin in Spearville, Kansas, and continue through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana. The project will deliver significant advantages in access to affordable energy, added infrastructure for broadband, and significant capital investment.

“Economic recovery and long-term economic competitiveness in Kansas and Missouri depend on new investment, more jobs, and tapping into low-cost, homegrown clean energy, which Grain Belt is moving full speed ahead to deliver,” Zadlo said. “Grain Belt is proud to increase our investment in Kansas and Missouri to rebuild the economy, deliver billions of dollars in energy cost savings, and meet growing renewable energy demand.”

Grain Belt Express is an approximately 800-mile high voltage direct current transmission line being developed by Invenergy Transmission. It will deliver up to 4,000 megawatts of low-cost, homegrown clean energy from western Kansas to millions of Americans in the Midwest and other regions. Learn more at: www.grainbeltexpress.com