The 765 kV Line in Crawford County — No 765 Line

No 765 Line, Inc. · A Wisconsin 501(c)(3) · Sourced. Coordinated.
Wisconsin PSC · MariBell fall 2026 · BECI early 2027

The 765 kV line in Crawford County

Yes; Crawford County is where the two proposed 765,000-volt projects meet. The MariBell line would end at Bell Center in Crawford County, and BECI would begin there, continuing to the Illinois state line. MariBell’s developers say they expect to file for a state permit in fall 2026; BECI’s application is expected in early 2027, and public comments on its study segments are open until September 7, 2026.

Updated August 20, 2026

Crawford County outlined, with MariBell's published route corridor and BECI's study area and study segments. Sources: MariBell public comment map (maribelltransmissionproject.com); Midcontinent Grid Solutions (mgs-projects.com), captured August 2026.

What is being proposed here?

MariBell
Marion, MN to Bell Center, WI; 139 miles, 765 kV with a 161 kV double circuit; developed by Dairyland Power Cooperative and GridLiance Heartland, LLC
BECI
Bell Center to the Illinois state line, ~190 miles; developed by Midcontinent Grid Solutions, a Transource Energy and BHE Transmission joint venture
Where they meet
Bell Center, in Crawford County, is MariBell's published endpoint and one of BECI's named connection points
Line type
765 kV, the largest transmission class in the country; towers 150 to 200 feet

What is happening right now?

  • MGS is holding a Crawford County open house at the Gays Mills Community Center on August 24; details are on our events calendar.
  • Comments on BECI's 78 study segments are open until September 7, 2026.
  • MariBell's developers have said they expect to file their PSC application in fall 2026; the formal proceeding, with public comment and intervention, begins after that filing.

What have local governments here said?

  • Crawford County — Resolution opposing the line, adopted Jun 16, 2026
  • Crawford County — Information-request resolution, adopted Feb 17, 2026 (VernonReporter coverage)
  • Town of Haney — Letter opposing the line, adopted Dec 8, 2025 (Independent-Scout coverage)
  • Town of Seneca — Resolution opposing the line (2026-02), adopted Jul 15, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Utica — Resolution opposing the line, adopted Jul 20, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Township of Freeman — Resolution opposing the line, adopted Apr 27, 2026
  • Village of Ferryville — Resolution opposing the line (2026-07), adopted Jul 15, 2026 (Village board resolution (PDF))

See the statewide tracker

Local businesses on the record

17 Crawford County businesses on the record.

  • Aendre Arthouse Ferryville
  • Aspen Farm Studios Soldiers Grove
  • D&T Well Service Soldiers Grove
  • DMC Livestock Soldiers Grove
  • Dairyland Fabrics Ferryville
  • Flyway Fowling Guide Service, LLC Ferryville
  • Gifted Earth Rock Shop Gays Mills
  • Grandview Motel & Mighty Miss River Rentals Ferryville
  • HeartSOng Ways, LLC Gays Mills
  • Mackessy Studios LLC Ferryville
  • Ocooch Mountain General Store Gays Mills
  • Oikos Hollow Farm, LLC Gays Mills
  • Oppriecht Acres Christmas Tree Farm Gays Mills
  • Red Clover Ranch Soldiers Grove
  • Rolling Ground Bar & Grill LLC Soldiers Grove
  • Sebastian's Specialty Hardwoods, Inc. Seneca
  • Trans Insurance Professionals Gays Mills

See the statewide roster, or add your business

What can I do?

How do I connect locally?

County organizing is just getting started here. Local contacts and ways to connect in Crawford County will be added to this page as they become available. Joining the email list is the best way to hear when that happens.

Common questions

Are MariBell and BECI one project?

No. They are two separate projects, with separate developers, separate routes, and separate state permit applications on different schedules. What they share is a meeting point at Bell Center in Crawford County and a place in the regional grid plan approved by MISO in December 2024.

What if a land agent has already contacted me?

Their schedule does not have to become yours. A first conversation is not a contract, and it's common for landowners to take time, ask for requests in writing, and talk to their neighbors before responding further. Our Landowners page describes the options landowners commonly have. This is general information, not legal advice; for advice about your own situation, talk to your own attorney.