The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) was awarded $8.3 million from the Department of Energy (DOE)’s Grid Deployment Office to improve the review process for several transmission projects running through the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) territory. High voltage transmission is a critical piece of America’s energy infrastructure that works to send power from where its generated, out to homes and buildings all over a region. The state of Illinois’ project was one of 20 selected from across 16 states as a part of the Transmission Siting and Economic Development grant program and will help to build out a more resilient and reliable power grid. The ICC’s winning project is intended to streamline the transmission line siting review and approval processes in Illinois; ensure better protection of natural resources and historical sites; and better incorporate community-identified needs into the transmission siting approval process. In partnership with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the project will also digitize records and upgrade public-facing databases that house data on environmental and cultural resources along lines under review. The improvements and the data collected will be used to inform siting review for future transmission projects, and lower the costs and time tied to project development and review.