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.

• Filed – August 16, 2007
• Granted – May 22, 2009

• Route Permit application – filed January 19, 2010
  • Direct testimony:   Hillstrom      King      Stevenson
  • Judge's recommendation – issued February 8, 2012
  • MN PUC approval – April 12, 2012
  • MN PUC written order – issued May 30, 2012
• EIS scoping decision – issued August 6, 2010
• Draft EIS – issued March 21, 2011
  
• Final EIS – issued August 31, 2011
• Final MN PUC-approved route maps (PDF tile maps)
• Overview map of final route
  

North Rochester-Chester 161 kV Route Permit application

• Route Permit application
  • Filed – September 19, 2011
• Route maps
• Anticipated permitting schedule
  • MN PUC decision – late summer 2012

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.

• CPCN application
  • Filed – January 3, 2011
  • Application ruled complete – June 9, 2011
  • PSCW approval – May 10, 2012
  • PSCW final order – issued May 30, 2012
    
• Supplemental need informational report – August 2011
• Draft EIS – issued November 2011
• Final EIS – issued January 2012
• PSCW-approved route maps (PDF tile maps)

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
• Draft EIS – issued December 16, 2011
• Final EIS – issued July 2012
• Federal Record of Decision – issued January 2013

The project requires a permit from the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to comply with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act and Section 10 of the Rivers and Harbors Act to cross navigable waters of the US and construct poles within wetlands.

• Corp Permit Application and Maps
• Corp Permit Application Appendices