State Representative Tony Kurtz is warning state officials and the public against fast-tracking regulatory approvals for The MGS proposed BECI transmission line

State Representative Tony Kurtz (R-Wonewoc) is warning state officials and the public against fast-tracking regulatory approvals for Midcontinent Grid Solutions Wisconsin, LLC’s (MGS) proposed Bell Center–Columbia–Sugar Creek–Illinois/Wisconsin State Line (BECI) transmission line. The initiative represents one of the largest transmission line projects ever proposed in Wisconsin, yet MGS is seeking exemptions from historical oversight rules and statutory utility regulations.

In a recent release titled “Don’t Short-Circuit Oversight on the BECI Project,” Representative Kurtz emphasized that MGS’s request to operate under a unique regulatory framework could permanently alter how transmission utilities are regulated in the state. Existing utility providers have adhered to standard public utility rules for decades. Allowing a new entrant to operate under special exemptions risks establishing a precedent where future developers demand similar relief, effectively making relaxed oversight the new standard.

A central concern raised by Kurtz involves MGS’s request to be exempt from portions of the Wisconsin Utility Holding Company Act. Critics note that removing these provisions limits the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin’s (PSC) authority over the ownership structures behind state utilities. Kurtz highlighted that these laws were established specifically to maintain public accountability, safeguard consumer interests, and ensure proper regulation when entities seek to acquire land easements for critical power infrastructure.

Rather than treating the developer’s request as a simple legal dispute, Kurtz framed the issue as a broader policy decision over who controls the rules governing Wisconsin’s transmission system. He called on the PSC to hold full, transparent public hearings, complete with expert testimony and community input, to thoroughly evaluate what regulatory authority could be lost before any precedent is set. According to Kurtz, any company seeking the benefits of public utility status must be held to the same standards of oversight and transparency as every other utility in the state.