The 765 kV Line in Richland 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 Richland County

Yes; Richland County is inside the official study area for BECI, a proposed 765,000-volt transmission line. No route has been chosen yet, and no application has been filed. The developer has published 78 candidate study segments, and its announced comment window on them closed September 7, 2026, though comments can still be sent to the company.

Updated September 6, 2026

Richland County outlined, with BECI's published study area and study segments. Source: Midcontinent Grid Solutions (mgs-projects.com), captured August 2026. A study segment is not a chosen route.

What is being proposed here?

Project
BECI (Bell Center to the Illinois state line, ~190 miles)
Source: Midcontinent Grid Solutions
Developer
Midcontinent Grid Solutions, a Transource Energy and BHE Transmission joint venture
Source: MGS project site
Status
Route study; PSC application expected early 2027
Source: MGS project schedule
Line type
765 kV, the largest transmission class in the country; towers 150 to 200 feet
Source: See The 765 Line, explained

What is happening right now?

  • MGS held its Richland County open house at Richland Center High School on August 24. The developer's open-house round ended August 27; written comments on the study segments are still being accepted.
  • The developer's announced comment window on its 78 study segments closed September 7, 2026. Comments can still be sent to the company.

Who here is on the record?

  • Richland County — Information-request resolution (26-7), adopted Mar 17, 2026 (County board minutes (PDF))
  • Richland County — Information-request resolution asking MGS for parcel maps, easement boundaries and compensation criteria by Sept 14 (26-44), adopted Aug 18, 2026 (County board resolution (PDF))
  • Richland County — Resolution opposing the BECI line anywhere, and especially through Richland County (26-52), adopted Sep 15, 2026 (County board resolution (PDF))
  • City of Richland Center — Resolution stating concerns about the BECI line and asking the PSC for full notice, a cumulative environmental impact statement and time to be heard (2026-11), adopted Sep 1, 2026 (Common Council resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Akan — Resolution opposing the proposed 765 kV line through the town and the Driftless Area (2026-8-1), adopted Aug 13, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Buena Vista — Resolution opposing any proposed 765 kV line within the town and requesting denial of a CPCN (002-2026), adopted Aug 13, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Dayton — Resolution opposing the proposed 765 kV line through the town and the Driftless Area, adopted Sep 1, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Eagle — Resolution opposing the proposed 765 kV line within the Driftless Area (2026-2), adopted Sep 9, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Forest — Information-request resolution (R 2025-01), adopted Dec 19, 2025 (Town resolutions page)
  • Town of Henrietta — Information-request resolution on the proposed 765 kV line: routes, tower designs, corridor widths and costs (2026-03), adopted Apr 21, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Ithaca — Resolution opposing the proposed 765 kV line through the town and the Driftless Area (2026-001), adopted Aug 19, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Marshall — Resolution opposing the proposed 765 kV transmission line through the town and the Driftless Area (2026-5, amended), adopted Sep 8, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Richland — Resolution opposing the proposed 765 kV line through the town and the Driftless Area (2026-3), adopted Aug 13, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Richland — Resolution stating concerns about the BECI line and asking the PSC for full notice, a cumulative environmental impact statement and time to be heard (2026-4), adopted Sep 10, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Richwood — Resolution opposing the line (2026-002), adopted Aug 10, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Rockbridge — Resolution opposing the BECI line through the town and the Driftless Area (2026-002), adopted Aug 20, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Rockbridge — Landowner-impact information-request resolution (2026-003), adopted Aug 20, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Westford — Resolution stating concerns about the BECI line and asking the PSC for full notice, a cumulative environmental impact statement and time to be heard (911-2026), adopted Sep 10, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Town of Willow — Resolution opposing the proposed 765 kV line through the town, Richland County and the Driftless Area (2026-001), adopted Aug 18, 2026 (Town board resolution (PDF))
  • Village of Cazenovia — Resolution opposing the BECI line as proposed (26-02), adopted Sep 9, 2026 (Village board resolution (PDF))
  • Friends of the Lower Wisconsin Riverway (organization) — Board resolution opposing the BECI line anywhere in the Lower Wisconsin River Basin and requesting impact information from MGS, adopted Sep 10, 2026 (Board resolution (PDF))

See Richland County on the statewide tracker

Local businesses on the record

13 Richland County businesses on the record.

  • Amber Ewing Creations Richland Center
  • Barelli Family Farm Dayton
  • Bull's Ranch, LLC Cazenovia
  • Chapters on the Horizon Viola
  • Dayton Ridge Farm Dayton
  • Parker Family Farmstead & FarmerSown Market Viola
  • Parker Pole Buildings LLC Viola
  • Residential Roofing of Southwest Wisconsin Richland Center
  • Richland Locker Richland Center
  • Rose Whitewashing Akan
  • Singing Trees Organic Farm Viola
  • Wholeview Farm Viola
  • Wild Rose’s Farm & Bakery LLC Akan

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 Richland 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

Is a route through Richland County already decided?

No. The developer has published a study area and 78 study segments, not a route. A route only becomes real if the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin grants a permit, in a proceeding expected to begin in early 2027.

Who decides whether this gets built?

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, through a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity proceeding. The public can participate at every stage.