|
Ensuring Electric Reliability in Minnesota and the Surrounding
Region
The region is experiencing tremendous job and
population growth, leading to a steady increase in electricity
usage. The last major upgrade of the electric transmission infrastructure
took place more than 25 years ago.
Planning studies show that customer demand for
electricity will increase by 4,000 to 6,000 megawatts by 2020 – more
than today’s system has the capacity to deliver. The proposed
new transmission lines would be built in phases designed to meet
the growth in electricity demand, as well as to tap into vast
wind energy resources in the southern and western parts of Minnesota
and the Dakotas.
The first group of CapX 2020
projects is made up of three proposed 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission
lines, one 230-kV line and associated substations. The Group
1 proposed projects include:
- A 230-mile, 345-kV line between the Brookings,
SD, area and the Southeast Twin Cities
- A 250-mile, 345-kV line between Fargo, ND,
and Monticello, MN
- A 150-mile, 345-kV line between the Southeast
Twin Cities and Rochester, MN, continuing to La Crosse, WI
- A 68-mile, 230-kV line between Bemidji and
Grand Rapids in North Central Minnesota
The regulatory process for these lines is under
way. The CapX 2020 utilities filed a Certificate
of Need application in August with the Minnesota Public Utilities
Commission for the three 345-kV projects. A separate Certificate
of Need application was filed with the Commission in March
2008 for the 230-kV line.
The utilities also will be seeking project approval
and permits for each of the proposed 345-kV transmission lines
from regulatory commissions in North Dakota, South Dakota and
Wisconsin.
The CapX 2020 utilities are committed to working
with all interested parties. They encourage everyone to participate
in the regulatory processes by attending open houses and public
meetings and providing information to the state commissions and
the CapX 2020 utilities.
|
