Two weeks ago, Rock Island Clean Line (RICL) filed for approval from the Illinois Commerce Commission. The transmission project, which will deliver enough wind energy for 1.4 million homes to Illinois consumers, is estimated to reduce wholesale energy costs across Illinois by $320 million the first year of operations alone, create construction and manufacturing jobs, and dramatically reduce dangerous pollutants. 

A letter by Scott Thorsen [“Wants answers from Clean Line,” Oct. 23] challenged these consumer benefits. A report by the Illinois Power Agency essentially agreed with RICL about the impact of wind on wholesale prices: during 2011, renewable resources, principally wind power, reduced Illinois wholesale power prices by $1.30 per megawatt-hour, from $36.40 to $35.10 per MWh.

Contrary to Thorsen’s claim, it’s simply incorrect that prices have to go up to $70 per MWh for consumers to realize benefits.