CapX2020 Hampton-Rochester-La Crosse 345 kV project

	Project quick facts 345 kV line – about 125 miles 161 kV line – 15-18 miles Targeted in-service – 2013-2015 Minnesota route maps Wisconsin route option map Fact sheet Communications and public outreach

The Hampton-Rochester-La Crosse transmission line will improve reliability for the Twin Cities, Rochester and La Crosse areas, as well as improve access to generation in the south east part of Minnesota.

The double circuit capable 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line will run between a new substation near Hampton, Minnesota, the proposed North Rochester Substation between Zumbrota and Pine Island, Minnesota, and continue on to cross the Mississippi River near Alma, Wisconsin. A single circuit 345 kV line will be built in Wisconsin to a new substation in the La Crosse area. A new 161 kV line is proposed between the North Rochester Substation and the existing North Hills Substation in northwest Rochester.

Single pole steel structures will be used to reduce land impacts. Structures are between 140 and 170 tall and will be between 800 and 1,000 feet apart. Typically, a 150-foot right-of-way will be required.

Minnesota permitting

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission must grant two approvals before construction – a Certificate of Need and a Route Permit. An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is written during routing.

• Certificate of Need application – filed August 16, 2007
• Certificate of Need application – granted May 22, 2009
• Route Permit application – filed January 19, 2010
• EIS scoping decision – issued August 6, 2010
• Route maps

Wisconsin permitting

The Public Service Commission of Wisconsin must issue a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN) prior to construction. The permit certifies the project need and designates a route.

• June 2010 (anticipated) – filing of CPCN application
• Route option map

Federal permitting

Rural Utilities Service, a division of the United States Department of Agriculture, is a federal financing agency that provides funding assistance to cooperatives for the installation and modernization of rural electric systems. In cooperation with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, RUS will prepare a federal EIS to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act.

• RUS scoping report – published February 2010
• Alternative Evaluation Study
• Macro Corridor Study
• Fourth quarter 2010 (anticipated) – public hearings on draft EIS