Knox County now being served by a more reliable energy grid

Key Takeaways:

• Communities across Knox County have a more reliable and resilient energy grid due to the recent completion of the Knox County Connector Project.
• The new transmission line replaced aging infrastructure, in some cases more than 100 years old, to create a stronger transmission system in the region.
• The vast majority of the project was rebuilt along existing corridors and co-located with existing Ameren Illinois facilities.

Above: Crews at work along U.S. Highway 34 during the construction phase of the Knox County Connector Project (Ameren Illinois).

GALESBURG, Ill. (July 7, 2026) - Customers in Knox County, Illinois, are benefiting from improved reliability and an increased ability to meet their energy needs since the Knox County Connector transmission project was placed in service in June.

The finished project includes approximately 11 miles of new and upgraded high-voltage transmission lines, with the vast majority rebuilt along existing corridors and co-located with existing Ameren Illinois facilities. The transmission line connects the existing Sandburg substation, located near Galesburg, Illinois, to facilities near Oneida.

"A stronger transmission system in Knox County gives residents and businesses in this region greater access to a balanced mix of safe, reliable and low-cost energy sources," said Shawn Schukar, chairman and president of Ameren Transmission Company of Illinois. "This new infrastructure is built to serve communities for decades to come."

Workers replaced aging infrastructure that was, in some cases, more than 100 years old while completing the project. These upgrades will help ensure the region is served by an energy grid prepared for the changing energy needs of today and the future.

"Our project team appreciates everyone who shared their feedback and ideas with us throughout the routing process. We are thankful for those comments because they helped us propose a design and plan that will best serve the community," said Joe DeGreeff, project manager for Ameren. "During construction, we made it a priority to keep the jobs and benefits here at home by hiring Illinois-based union electric workers."

Additional information is available on the project's website, Ameren.com/KnoxCounty.

About Ameren Illinois
Ameren Illinois delivers energy to 1.2 million electric and more than 800,000 natural gas customers throughout central and southern Illinois. Our service territory covers more than 1,200 communities and 43,700 square miles and our mission is to power the quality of life. For more information, visit AmerenIllinois.com. Follow us at @AmerenIllinois or Facebook.com/AmerenIllinois.