Energy Department withdraws from Arkansas power-line project

(Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, http://www.arkansasonline.com)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – The U.S. Department of Energy has withdrawn support for a $2.5 billion power-line project through Arkansas opposed by landowners who feared they would be forced to sell their property against their will.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports a participation agreement between the agency and Clean Line Energy Partners was severed on Friday. Clean Line spokeswoman Sarah Bray says the agreement was canceled but that the project is not dead. Bray says the company is evaluating its next steps.
The 705-mile power line would link wind farms in the Oklahoma Panhandle to customers in Tennessee. In December, Clean Line sold the Oklahoma portion of the project to NextEra Energy Resources.
NextEra spokesman Steve Stengel says his company owns and operates wind farms in Oklahoma and Friday’s announcement doesn’t impact its plans.