By JIM BUTLER
Imagine about 900 football fields end to end and you have an idea of the scope of Omega, a proposed electric transmission line, as it snakes through Rapides toward a data center in Richland Parish.
The estimated 50-mile leg enters Rapides south of Cheneyville, works north and east to Latanier, crosses Red River, continues between Kolin and Ruby west of Centerpoint, eases through Deville-Holloway and exits into LaSalle in the vicinity of Catahoula Lake.
About 1,500 acres are required for the 250 feet wide right of way that stretch.
(We used 50 miles because it made math easier. For fewer or more miles, you do the math.) In some instances the path likely follows existing easements, requiring only a wider track, if that.
And that right of way is the meat of the coconut in objections raised by the newly formed Louisiana Landowners Coalition, whose members are not interested in parting with their property, and fear eminent domain and expropriation are on the horizon.
Entergy says the routing is still being worked on and that efforts are underway to reach a meeting of minds with property owners.
Omega would deliver energy from a new power plant in St. Charles Parish to the data behemoth in Richland, joining feed from six plants in that vicinity.
Long term, Entergy says, its other customers will save $2 billion because Meta is carrying the freight for expansion that will benefit all customers.
Fourth Public Service District Commissioner Mike Francis shared the routing data through The Jena Times. He is the only commissioner not signing a Non-Disclosure Agreement regarding Omega.
Francis says he has no issue with the data center or the utility but wants cards on the table.
He hopes to review those cards at a meeting with aroused property owners in the next few weeks.
The commission is scheduled to consider a final vote on Omega at its December meeting.
Francis and other commissioners and staff can be reached through the PSC website.
The coalition can be reached through 318-202-9094 or louisianalandownerscoalition@