Wolf Creek-Blackberry transmission line energized ahead of schedule and on budget, strengthening the electric grid for customers in Kansas and Missouri
BURLINGTON, Kan., Oct. 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest announced the successful energization of the Wolf Creek-Blackberry 345-kilovolt transmission line, completing the 92-mile project within budget and five months ahead of the required in-service date.
The transmission line runs from the Wolf Creek substation in Coffey County, Kan., to the Blackberry substation in Jasper County, Mo. Southwest Power Pool (SPP), the regional transmission organization, awarded the project to NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest in 2021.
A word from Matt Valle, president of NextEra Energy Transmission: "Delivering this project ahead of schedule and on budget is a direct result of our team's exceptional dedication and community leaders' support. This transmission line is a critical investment in economic growth and long-term energy reliability for communities in Kansas, Missouri and across the region."
A word from Eric Stafford, vice president of government affairs at the Kansas Chamber of Commerce: "As we are seeing demand for electricity growing rapidly across our region, it is critical that we protect competitive transmission development like this to ensure we're building the infrastructure Kansas businesses need to thrive while keeping costs affordable for everyone."
A word from Leo Delperdang, Kansas state representative and chairman of the Kansas House Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications: "This project demonstrates exactly what Kansas needs – reliable infrastructure delivered efficiently and on time. Wolf Creek-Blackberry is an example of how we prioritize smart energy infrastructure investments that strengthen our grid and support economic development throughout Kansas."
A word from Michael A. Fagg, Kansas state senator and chairman of the Kansas Senate Committee on Utilities: "Kansas understands the importance of affordable and reliable energy now and in the future. The Wolf Creek-Blackberry transmission project moves Kansas forward with our energy needs for the future. It is a priority for me to ensure Kansas has reliable, low-cost energy that will help support businesses, job creation and Kansas families."
Driving economic benefits across the heartland: The project delivered economic benefits throughout its development including $55.6 million in new worker earnings and $145 million in new economic output. In addition to the upfront economic boost, the project paves the way for long-term regional growth by making the grid more attractive to industries considering expansion in Kansas and Missouri.
Strengthening the grid for customers: The Wolf Creek-Blackberry transmission line directly addresses congestion issues. By increasing capacity and operational flexibility, the line supports more reliable service. Over its 40-year lifespan, the project will remove bottlenecks on the electrical grid unlocking more than $350 million in customer savings over the life of the project. In addition, the project will deliver $28.2 million in tax revenue to the counties. As determined by SPP studies and confirmed by the Kansas Corporation Commission, the line will benefit Kansas and Missouri customers by lowering overall energy costs, removing inefficiencies, relieving transmission congestion and improving the reliability of the transmission system.
What's next: This is the second of three major transmission lines awarded to NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest by SPP. The company remains committed to completing its projects with speed and service to the local communities.
About NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest
NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest is a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Transmission LLC, North America's leading competitive transmission company. With more than 3,100 miles of transmission lines in operation and development in 17 states and Canada, the company is strengthening and modernizing the electric grid to meet the country's growing energy needs. NextEra Energy Transmission owns, develops, finances, constructs, operates and maintains transmission assets across the continent. The company operates through its regional subsidiaries to integrate diverse energy sources. NextEra Energy Transmission LLC is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Florida-based NextEra Energy Inc. For more information, visit www.NextEraEnergyTransmission.com.
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SOURCE NextEra Energy Transmission Southwest