On Tuesday, October 13, 173 people checked in for A Day of Power in Madison. Teams of residents from ten counties then met with legislators or their staff in 49 offices about MariBell and BECI, two proposed 765,000-volt (765 kV) transmission lines. The day ended with the State of the Campaign Address in the Capitol Rotunda.
On October 15, the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin, the state board that decides whether power lines get built and who may operate as a utility, issued notice that the application by BECI’s developer to become a Wisconsin utility will be decided in a contested case, with a hearing where parties present witnesses and evidence. Requests to become a party are due October 29. Our press release of October 16, “PSC sends BECI developer’s utility application to a contested-case hearing as 22 legislative offices agree to meet on 765 kV lines”, quotes the notice.
By October 15, 26 of the 49 offices had said yes to at least one of the three requests our teams brought. The table below lists each of those offices and its answers.
Header photo: residents fill the Capitol Rotunda on October 13. Photo: Narayan Mahon Photography for No 765 Line.
Offices that said yes
Each team asked the office it visited for three commitments:
- Meet with No 765 Line and colleagues across the aisle by December 15, 2026, to prepare bipartisan legislation for introduction in January 2027.
- Advocate for and support a public informational hearing on MISO’s Tranche 2.1 plan, the regional grid plan that includes both lines, by December 15, 2026.
- Send the Public Service Commission a letter, filed in docket 2708-NC-100, asking it to hold a full public hearing on Midcontinent Grid Solutions Wisconsin’s application to become a utility.
Updated October 15 from our teams’ report cards and follow-up with offices; it replaces the list shown at the Capitol on October 13. The table lists every office that has said yes to at least one request. A yes is counted only where a team’s report card, a written reply or a follow-up call with the office records one. Most meetings were with staff. A blank means we have not recorded a yes on that request.
| Office | 1. Meet by Dec. 15 | 2. Support a Tranche 2.1 hearing | 3. Letter to the PSC | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sen. LaTonya Johnson (SD 6) | Yes | |||
| Sen. Sarah Keyeski (SD 14) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Will send its own letter. |
| Sen. Mark Spreitzer (SD 15) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Will send its own letter. |
| Sen. Melissa Ratcliff (SD 16) | Yes | |||
| Sen. Howard Marklein (SD 17) | Yes | |||
| Sen. Kelda Roys (SD 26) | Yes | |||
| Sen. Julian Bradley (SD 28) | Yes | |||
| Sen. Brad Pfaff (SD 32) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Filed his letter in the docket Oct. 12. |
| Rep. Kalan Haywood (AD 16) | Yes | |||
| Rep. Supreme Moore Omokunde (AD 17) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Rep. Deb Andraca (AD 23) | Yes | Yes | Staff to confirm with the legislator. | |
| Rep. Rob Kreibich (AD 28) | Yes | Yes | Signed letters sent to us Oct. 9; filing not yet confirmed. | |
| Rep. Tyler August (AD 31) | Yes | Confirmed by phone Oct. 14. | ||
| Rep. Karen DeSanto (AD 40) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Confirmed by phone Oct. 14. |
| Rep. Maureen McCarville (AD 42) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Confirmed by phone Oct. 14. |
| Rep. Brienne Brown (AD 43) | Yes | Yes | Will send its own letter. | |
| Rep. Ann Roe (AD 44) | Yes | Yes | Could not commit to the Dec. 15 timeline. | |
| Rep. Clinton Anderson (AD 45) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Will send its own letter. |
| Rep. Joan Fitzgerald (AD 46) | Yes | |||
| Rep. Andrew Hysell (AD 48) | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Rep. Travis Tranel (AD 49) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Confirmed by phone Oct. 14. |
| Rep. Tip McGuire (AD 64) | Yes | Yes on 1 by phone Oct. 14; reviewing the letters. | ||
| Rep. Greta Neubauer (AD 66) | Yes | Staff yes on request 1. | ||
| Rep. Lisa Subeck (AD 79) | Yes | |||
| Rep. Alex Joers (AD 81) | Yes | |||
| Rep. Tara Johnson (AD 96) | Yes | Yes | Sent her letter to the PSC Oct. 14. | |
| Offices saying yes | 22 | 16 | 11 |
Is your office’s answer missing or wrong? Email info@no765line.org and we will correct it.
Videos shown at the Capitol on October 13
The first video below opened the State of the Campaign Address, the 4:30 p.m. press conference in the Capitol Rotunda. The other four played one after another on a screen in the Rotunda through the day. Where a video counts local governments, the count is 80, from our resolution tracker as it stood on October 10, 2026. All five are also on our Videos page.
The lines made headlines
Opened the 4:30 p.m. press conference in the Capitol Rotunda at A Day of Power, October 13, 2026.
Text in this video
- No 765 Line
- Southern Wisconsin · In the news
- The lines made headlines.
- SWNews4U, Dec 3, 2025: Transmission line draws big crowd. News coverage. Source: swnews4u.com
- Wisconsin Public Radio, Jun 17, 2026: Group seeks to fight ‘largest transmission line ever constructed’ in Wisconsin. News coverage. Source: wpr.org
- News 8000 (WKBT), Aug 17, 2026: Residents gather in De Soto to discuss major power line project concerns. News coverage. Source: news8000.com
- Channel 3000 (WISC), Aug 18, 2026: Proposed 190-mile transmission line receives backlash. News coverage. Source: channel3000.com
- Channel 3000 (WISC), Aug 20, 2026: Farmer concerned for livelihood if transmission line approved. News coverage. Source: channel3000.com
- Tribune-Enterprise (hngnews.com), Aug 25, 2026: Transmission line galvanizes communities across political divides. News coverage. Source: hngnews.com
- The Gazette (Janesville), Aug 27, 2026: Rock County residents turn out in droves to sound off on 765kV transmission line plan. News coverage. Source: gazettextra.com
- WMTV 15 News (NBC15), Aug 31, 2026: Opposition grows in southern Wisconsin over proposed power lines. News coverage. Source: wmtv15news.com
- Spectrum News 1 (Wisconsin), Sep 25, 2026: Wisconsin farmers push back on transmission line project. News coverage. Source: spectrumnews1.com
- On the public record: 80 local governments have opposed the lines or their routes. Resolution record updated Oct 10, 2026
- A Day of Power: Today, the public record comes to the Capitol.
Southern Wisconsin, 2026
Played on a loop on a screen in the Capitol Rotunda through A Day of Power, October 13, 2026.
Text in this video
- No 765 Line
- Southern Wisconsin. 2026.
- Wisconsin Public Radio, Jun 17, 2026: Group seeks to fight ‘largest transmission line ever constructed’ in Wisconsin
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Sep 1, 2026: Second high-voltage power line proposed to cut through Driftless area
- Channel 3000, Aug 25, 2026: Baraboo school district expresses concerns over proposed transmission line near elementary school
- The Cap Times, Sep 17, 2026: Dane County residents fear power line would turn ‘heaven’ into ‘hell’
- Channel 3000, Aug 20, 2026: Farmer concerned for livelihood if transmission line approved
- La Crosse Tribune, Aug 27, 2026: Community raises concerns on ‘travesty’ of proposed Driftless Region transmission lines
- Reedsburg Independent, Sep 3, 2026: Power line project threatens outdoor classroom at Tower Rock Elementary, officials say
- 01, By the numbers: 765,000 volts. Two separate proposed lines: MariBell and BECI. Source: MariBell and BECI developers’ project sites
- 02, By the numbers: MariBell in Wisconsin, about 30 miles. BECI, about 190 miles. About 220 miles of proposed 765 kV line in Wisconsin. MariBell runs about 140 miles in all, from Marion, Minnesota. Source: Wisconsin miles measured from the MariBell developer’s proposed-route map file · maribelltransmission.com/faq (“approximately 140-mile”) · mgs-projects.com/BECI (“approximately 190-mile”)
- 03, By the numbers: BECI towers, generally, 175 feet. MariBell towers, 150 to 200 feet. Tower heights, in the developers’ own words. Source: MGS letter to Richland County, Sept. 14, 2026 · maribelltransmission.com FAQ
- 04, By the numbers: BECI right-of-way, 180 feet. MariBell, up to 250 feet. The width of cleared land the lines would need. Source: MGS letter to Richland County, Sept. 14, 2026 · maribelltransmission.com FAQ
- 05, By the numbers: Nearly 2,900 sq. miles. BECI’s study area, across nine counties. No final route has been selected. Source: Measured from MGS’s published BECI study-area map · MGS BECI FAQ 2 and 24
- 06, By the numbers: $1.2 billion. BECI’s estimated cost, as its developer told federal regulators. Electric customers across MISO’s Midwest region pay it. Source: FERC order 195 FERC ¶ 61,251 (June 26, 2026), P 9 · MGS BECI FAQ 15
- Counting down: What they told Wisconsin. In the developers’ own words. Then the record.
- #7, What they told Wisconsin: “A single 765 kV line can move 600% more energy than a 345 kV line” (MGS flyer, “Coming to Wisconsin,” July 2026). Stamp: Missing context. The record: AEP’s own 765 kV page says a 765 kV line carries “up to six times” the power. Six times as much is 500% more. Source: MGS BECI flyer, July 2026 · aep.com/about/businesses/transmission/765kv
- #6, What they told Wisconsin: “We’re still early in the process. We’re still a long way from routes becoming permanent.” (Alan Ott, MGS, to The Gazette (Janesville), Aug. 19, 2026). Stamp: In their own words. The record: MGS plans to apply for the Public Service Commission’s certificate in early 2027. Source: The Gazette, Aug. 19, 2026 · MGS BECI FAQ 11
- #5, What they told Wisconsin: “Electricity demand is growing at a rate not seen in decades.” (MariBell project fact sheet, maribelltransmission.com). Stamp: Missing context. The record: Federal data: Wisconsin and Minnesota each sold less electricity in 2024 than in 2005. Source: MariBell need fact sheet · U.S. EIA-861 state retail sales, 2005 and 2024
- #4, What they told Wisconsin: “$18.1 B · Lower congestion and fuel costs” (MGS open-house board, August 2026). Stamp: Missing context. The record: MISO’s own table, on the same 20-year basis as the board’s other figures: $8.1 billion, for the whole portfolio. Source: MGS BECI open-house boards, board 3 · MISO MTEP24, Ch. 2, Table 2.31, p. 137
- #3, What they told Wisconsin: “Parcel specific data will be available later in the process.” (Brian Radday, MGS, letter to Richland County, Sept. 14, 2026). Stamp: In their own words. The record: Richland County asked for parcel maps, legal descriptions of the route and dollar figures for each parcel. The letter gave none of them. Source: MGS letter to Richland County, Sept. 14, 2026 · Richland County Res. 26-44
- #2, What they told Wisconsin: “We’re using more electricity than ever.” (mgs-projects.com/BECI). Stamp: Missing context. The record: Their own FAQ: Wisconsin’s electricity sales “have been roughly flat since 2005.” Federal data: 2024 was 2.9% below 2005. Source: MGS BECI FAQ 5 · U.S. EIA-861 state retail sales, 2005 and 2024
- #1, What they told Wisconsin: “~200 Miles of 765 kV Transmission Coming to Wisconsin” (MGS flyer, “Coming to Wisconsin,” July 2026). Stamp: Missing context. The record: Not approved yet. MGS plans to apply for the Public Service Commission’s certificate in early 2027 and expects a decision in summer 2028. Source: MGS BECI FAQ 11 · MGS open-house board 10, project schedule
- Here’s what wasn’t on the flyer.
- In Wisconsin, the Public Service Commission’s certificate is the decision. Neither project has one yet. The time to be heard is before it. Source: Wis. Stat. § 196.491(3)(a)1 · MGS BECI FAQ 11 · maribelltransmission.com FAQ
- The clock is already running: MISO approved both lines in its long-range plan in December 2024. It requires BECI in service by June 1, 2034. Source: MISO board approval of Tranche 2.1, Dec. 12, 2024 · MISO BECI Selection Report (Jan. 6, 2026), p. i
- March 11, 2026: The first resolution against the line. Town of Wheatland, Vernon County
- A counter of local governments that have opposed the lines or their routes, month by month: 1 in December 2025, 1 in January 2026, 1 in February, 3 in March, 5 in April, 5 in May, 7 in June, 10 in July, 39 in August, 79 in September, 80 in October.
- Headlines stacking behind the counter: SWNews4U, Mar 4, 2026: Prairie fire of opposition sparked to 765 kV MariBell transmission line. Tribune-Enterprise, Aug 25, 2026: Transmission line galvanizes communities across political divides. The Gazette, Aug 27, 2026: Rock County residents turn out in droves to sound off on 765kV transmission line plan. WMTV 15 News, Aug 31, 2026: Opposition grows in southern Wisconsin over proposed power lines. Daily Union, Sep 9, 2026: Unanimous vote: County Board passes resolution opposing transmission line routes. Channel 3000, Aug 26, 2026: Sauk Prairie school board opposes proposed transmission line running near elementary school. Wisconsin Public Radio, Sep 18, 2026: Proposed transmission lines unite some Republicans and Democrats in opposition
- On the public record: 80 local governments have opposed the lines or their routes. In ten Wisconsin counties. Source: Adopted resolutions on file, no765line.org resolution tracker · Updated Oct 10, 2026
- A Day of Power · October 13: Today, the public record comes to the Capitol.
- This is not a done deal. no765line.org
Local governments that said no
Played on a loop on a screen in the Capitol Rotunda through A Day of Power, October 13, 2026.
Text in this video
- 80 said no. Wisconsin local governments, on the public record, opposing the proposed 765,000-volt lines or their routes.
- Where it started: It started with one.
- A roll call of all 80, each with a running count, its type of government, its county and the date it acted, from 1, Town of Haney, Crawford County, Dec 8, 2025, to 80, Town of Rock, Rock County, Oct 5, 2026. The full list is on the resolution tracker.
- 29 in August.
- 40 in September.
- Crawford County, Vernon County, Richland County, Sauk County, Columbia County, Walworth County, Dane County, Jefferson County, Dodge County, Rock County. Ten counties.
- Southern Wisconsin: a map of the 80 local governments, counting up to 80. Local governments, ten counties.
- 65 towns, 5 counties, 5 cities, 5 villages. 80 said no.
- This is not a done deal. no765line.org. Is your town on the list? /take-action/resolution-tracker
- As of Oct 10, 2026 · Opposition to the lines or their routes · Public record sources and action details on the tracker
Where the lines could go
Played on a loop on a screen in the Capitol Rotunda through A Day of Power, October 13, 2026.
Text in this video
- Two proposed 765 kV projects
- Where the lines could go.
- Minnesota, Iowa (map labels)
- MariBell: Marion, MN to Bell Center, WI. Developer-published proposed corridor. Not finalized.
- BECI: Crawford County to the Illinois line. 78 candidate study segments. No route selected.
- Illinois (map label)
- Crawford, Vernon, Richland, Sauk, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Rock, Walworth. Ten counties.
- Proposed. Not final. no765line.org
- Source geometry: MariBell developer proposed corridor (retrieved June 1, 2026); BECI/MGS GeoVoice candidate study segments (retrieved August 6, 2026). For orientation only.
Private companies will profit
Played on a loop on a screen in the Capitol Rotunda through A Day of Power, October 13, 2026.
Text in this video
- No 765 Line
- MariBell and BECI: two proposed 765 kV lines. Private companies will profit.
- Private return. Public bill. MISO planned both lines in its regional plan. The companies building them earn a regulated return on the investment. Electric customers across MISO’s Midwest region, Wisconsin ratepayers included, pay the cost. BECI alone: about $1.2 billion.
- Wisconsin ratepayers pay the bill. Source: MISO Tranche 2.1 · MGS BECI FAQ 15 · FERC order 195 FERC ¶ 61,251 (June 26, 2026)
- Two proposed 765 kV projects. Where the lines could go.
- Crawford, Vernon, Richland, Sauk, Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Jefferson, Rock, Walworth. Ten counties.
- Proposed. Not final. no765line.org
- See how tall 765 kV is. 70 ft, about the existing line. 100 ft. 150 ft. 200 ft, top of MariBell’s stated range. BECI’s towers: about 175 feet, per its developer. The drone (label and arrow on the drone in the sky). Source: Drone held at marked heights, field day, Seneca Township, Crawford County, June 6, 2026 · MariBell FAQ · MGS letter to Richland County, Sept. 14, 2026
- A permanent corridor through working land. For landowners in the path: steel towers about 175 feet tall for BECI and 150 to 200 feet for MariBell, on a cleared right-of-way 180 to 250 feet wide. BECI’s developer says it will “build, operate, and maintain the 765-kV line for its lifespan.”
- Some families would sell and move. Source: MGS letter to Richland County, Sept. 14, 2026 · maribelltransmission.com FAQ · MGS BECI FAQ 9 · Kurt Kielisch, forensic appraiser
- Stop the 765 line.
- We’re asking every legislator to commit, in writing: 1. Meet with us and colleagues from both parties by Dec. 15 to prepare bipartisan legislation for January 2027. 2. Support a public informational hearing on MISO’s Tranche 2.1 plan by Dec. 15, by signing our letter to the energy committee chairs. 3. Sign our letter asking the Public Service Commission for a full public hearing on MGS’s application to operate as a utility in Wisconsin (docket 2708-NC-100). Source: The three requests, sent to all 132 legislative offices, October 2026
- 80 local governments in ten counties have opposed the lines or their routes. Will Wisconsin’s legislators come together, too? no765line.org. Source: Adopted resolutions on file, no765line.org resolution tracker
In the news
Stories published October 13 to 15, with each headline as the outlet ran it. Some report 25 legislators or offices saying yes, the count organizers gave at the time. The table above counts 26 offices as of October 15. More coverage of MariBell and BECI is on our In the news page.
- Channel 3000 (WISC), Oct. 13: Opponents press Wisconsin lawmakers to halt proposed transmission lines
- Civic Media, Oct. 13: Power Line Opponents Take Their Fight to the Capitol, Secure 25 Legislative Commitments
- WKOW (ABC Madison), Oct. 13: Group ‘No 765 Line’ hosts Day of Power in opposition of transmission lines, Dairyland responds
- WMTV 15 News (NBC15), Oct. 13: Southern Wisconsin residents bring 765-kV transmission line fight to State Capitol
- Leader Independent (hngnews.com), Oct. 14: Hundreds gather at state Capitol seeking action on transmission line
- Wisconsin State Journal, Oct. 14: Lawmakers join opposition to 765-kV line through the Driftless
- Beloit Daily News, Oct. 15: Opponents of transmission line gather at state capital
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Oct. 15: One of Wisconsin’s few Black farmers worries about power line proposal
Before the day
- Beloit Daily News, Oct. 1: Town of Beloit power line opposition to be part of ‘A Day of Power’ in Madison
Photos
A Day of Power · 34 photos
From the morning session at Monona Terrace to the office visits and the Rotunda, October 13, 2026. Photos: Narayan Mahon Photography for No 765 Line, except where a photo carries its own credit (Tim Eisele, Lori Huntoon, No 765 Line).
Were you there? Send your photos to info@no765line.org.
