METC Files Memorandum Summarized the Process of Minor Route Modifications

This blog post discusses the Michigan Public Service Commission (“MPSC”) granting certificates allowing Michigan Electric Transmission Line Company’s (“METC”) to proceed with the Oneida Substation to Nelson Road Substation and Helix to Hiple Projects. That order included the following language:

It is a condition of the certificates of public convenience and necessity granted by this order that Michigan Electric Transmission Company, LLC, take additional action to consider landowners’ specific requests for minor modifications to the major transmission line routes approved in this order. The Commission directs Michigan Electric Transmission Company, LLC, to file a memorandum in this docket detailing the process by which impacted landowners can submit minor route modification requests to the company and to further file a monthly report in this docket documenting any minor modification requests that the company receives and the reason why the company did or did not accommodate the landowner’s request.

METC has now filed that memorandum. According to that memorandum, “METC will consider all minor modifications requested by affected landowners, which includes those landowners that own a parcel that will be traversed by the approved routes. Affected landowners may request: a shift to the centerline of the approved routes and/or a shift in the placement of a structure along the centerline of the approved routes.” “METC will consider minor modification requests from landowners, but can only accommodate a request if: the minor modification is within 250 feet of the approved centerline, which means the centerline can only shift a maximum of 150 feet in either direction; and the minor modification would only impact the property of a landowner that received notice of these proceedings.”

METC includes deadlines for submission of these requests:

These deadlines confirm what I suspected that the need to alter the Oneida route will delay the eminent domain process. If the first submission deadline is January 5, 2026, METC will need time to finalize the route, complete appraisals, and issue good faith offers. Further, the staggered deadlines likely demonstrate the order and the grouping for the issuance of good faith offers and filing of just compensation lawsuits.

The route requests must be submitted to Universal Field Services, which are the right of way agents working for METC. I generally advise my clients that direct communications with right of way agents is inadvisable given that they are trained and employed to obtain the greatest possible property rights for the lowest amount of money. I fear that they could steer property owners into making statements that could harm their legal position. 

I have been retained by dozens of owners in both the Oneida and Helix projects. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or wish to join my representation group.