Hutchinson ? The Kansas Corporation Commission has approved a path for a high-voltage transmission line through six southwest Kansas counties.

The 89-mile route approved Monday will run from Spearville to Hays, taking it through Edwards, Ellis, Ford, Hodgeman, Pawnee and Rush counties. The project, owned by ITC Great Plains, will cost an estimated $90.1 million.

Commission Chairman Thomas Wright said the line will provide economic benefits for Kansas and help future development of wind farms in western Kansas.

This is the first phase of a project to build a 345-kilovolt transmission line between Spearville and Axtell, Neb.