Why Reliable Transmission Is Essential to Kansas’ Economic Growth
By Rhiannon Friedman, President, GO Topeka
When companies evaluate Kansas for a new facility or expansion, the first questions are always the same: Is the power reliable? And can transmission be built quickly?
At GO Topeka, we work daily with site selectors and employers considering investments that bring jobs, payroll, and long-term growth to our community. Before they look at land, buildings, or incentives, they want certainty that energy infrastructure will support their operations from day one. If we cannot confidently say yes, we are out of the running.
That is why House Bill 2483 raises serious concerns from an economic development perspective.
Transmission is not just a utility issue. It is core business infrastructure. It is what allows a manufacturer to energize a new plant, what supports expanding industrial operations, and what gives growing employers confidence that Kansas can deliver power reliably and on schedule. When transmission timelines stretch, projects stall. And when projects stall, companies choose another state.
HB 2483 would create additional layers of approvals and regulatory hurdles that slow down the very infrastructure Kansas depends on to compete. Two provisions are especially concerning.
First, the bill broadens the definition of “high-impact” transmission lines, meaning more routine upgrades and projects would face expanded regulatory requirements. Second, and most significantly, it requires certain transmission projects to receive not only approval from the Kansas Corporation Commission but also approval from the Kansas Legislature.
Injecting a legislative approval process into transmission siting introduces uncertainty and delay. The Legislature meets for only part of the year, while economic development projects operate on tight, market-driven timelines. Employers cannot wait months or years for infrastructure decisions. They simply move to states where approvals are faster and more predictable.
At GO Topeka, our mission is to recruit jobs, grow investment, and strengthen our regional economy. To do that, we must ensure Kansas remains competitive, business-ready, and infrastructure-ready. Policies that slow transmission buildout directly undermine that goal.
For these reasons, GO Topeka joins Evergy in opposing HB 2483. Reliable, timely transmission is not optional. It is essential to Kansas’ economic future.