Evolve Energy Partners, a Dallas-based company, met with a group of 14 landowners this month to discuss voluntary easements for a power line to connect the Rootbeer electric substation to a planned datacenter in Warren County. 

Landowners were told the company was requesting to purchase a 150-foot wide easement through their properties to construct 200-foot tall power lines through the 14 properties. 

According to documents distributed at the April 3 meeting, the datacenter would have a footprint of roughly 800,000 square feet although it would be set back from most property lines and major roads. 

The documents also stated the datacenter would create significant tax revenue for the area and would provide up to 185 “permanent, high paying, technical positions,” the majority of which would be trained and hired locally. 

The documents did not state who would be operating the datacenter. 

Hunter Metcalf, founding partner with Evolve, said the company plans to construct a roughly five and a half mile transmission line running north to south near Highways A and W to Interstate 70. 

He said the project was projected to be completed in December 2026, at which point ownership of the power lines will be turned over to Ameren. 

“The line will be developed on top of voluntary 150-foot easements, purchased by Evolve from private landowners,” said Metcalf. “Evolve expects this project to be completed by December 2026. After completion of the transmission line, ownership and maintenance responsibilities are anticipated to be transferred to the power utility.”

Steve Etcher with the Greater Warren County Economic Development Council said the organization is involved in the project but that he was unable to share any additional details at this time. He did say an announcement on the project would be coming in the future. 

Some landowners who were in attendance at the April 3 meeting expressed concern at the project, and were worried about what would happen to their land if they refused Evolve’s offer. 

“This private company does not have eminent domain rights, but Ameren would. So it feels like they’re saying, either take our money or get steamrolled later on,” said Danny Raterman, a landowner who was present at the meeting. 

Metcalf said it was Evolve’s goal to build the project on voluntary easements and there were other solutions if specific landowners did not accept their offers. He made no mention of the use of eminent domain. 

“If we’re unable to come to terms for a specific route, we can find an alternate path,” said Metcalf. “Evolve is typically able to come to commercial agreements for transmission line routes, as these easements don’t inhibit commercial activity, like farming and grazing, and Evolve is able to pay above-market rates.”

Eminent domain is a process by which government entities can take private land, with just compensation, and convert it to public use when there is a genuine public interest for the land. 

While it is a lengthy and complicated process, as a public utility, Ameren does have eminent domain authority. Evolve stated they plan to turn the line over to them upon completion, Raterman was concerned with what could happen to landowners if they refuse Evolve’s offer. 

Officials with Ameren said while they are aware of the power line project, all outreach to property owners is being handled by Evolve alone. Ameren officials said they would not have a role in that part of the project but are “committed to serving the new customer,” once it is complete. 

According to documents from Evolve, the construction impact on properties would include clearing vegetation, construction of the power lines and some temporary access routes. 

Raterman said he was offered roughly $20,000 an acre for the easement, and while his land would be impacted less than some other landowners on the project, he was still against the development. 

“We’d have to look at them on the west side of our property,” said Raterman. “And I’m one of the least affected landowners. Some people, it’s going straight through the middle of their property. It’s really unfortunate some people have land that they want to retire and build their house on, and now they can’t because there’s this giant power line going slap through the middle of it,”

He said he was also concerned with the removal of trees on his property for the project. 

The power lines that would be constructed are larger than traditional transmission lines, since they transmit more power. Raterman said the lines are up to 200 feet tall and according to documents distributed by Evolve at the meeting, they are up to seven feet wide at the base. 

Evolve did pledge to work with landowners at the meeting and according to documents, stated they planned to hold town hall meetings on the project, provide quarterly updates, and would be available to landowners at any time. 

Jake Heimberger, another landowner who would be impacted by the project, had a more positive view of the situation. 

Heimberger, who works on power lines similar to the ones that would be used by the project, said while there would be some short “growing pains” with the easements, if he is being paid for the land he did not take issue with the project. 

Furthermore, he felt Ameren would be likely to use eminent domain for the land anyways, so it would be better for him to accept Evolve’s offer in the first place. He said he was offered between $15,000 and $25,000 per acre for his land. 

“I could see Ameren being able to (use) eminent domain and force their way through, right? Because they already have a customer lined up,” said Heimberger. “Everybody has a right to electric.”

Heimberger did say while he expected land to be in rough shape during the construction phases, in his experience projects like these have minimal impact on the land around them and right-of-ways are usually well-maintained by Ameren. 

“Other than their eight foot diameter base of those towers, they pretty much leave it the way it would have been before,” said Heimberger. “And you’re more than welcome to mow it and plant food plots for hunting or whatever.”

According to documents from Evolve, the design phase is expected to be completed in July with construction starting in September.