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The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) recently approved the Certificate of Need and Route Permit for Minnesota Power and Great River Energy’s jointly owned high-voltage transmission line intended to bolster electric reliability in northern and central Minnesota and support the regional clean energy transition.
The Northland Reliability Project is an approximately 180-mile, double-circuit, 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission line that extends from near Grand Rapids in Itasca County to near St. Cloud in Benton County and into Sherburne County. The approved route will largely follow existing transmission line corridors, which the utilities say will minimize environmental impacts and the need for new right-of-way for the new 345-kV transmission line.
The project is estimated to cost over $1 billion. Final project costs will be determined by final routing and design considerations. The MPUC will separately review cost recovery for Minnesota Power’s share of the project.
“We appreciate all of the community members and stakeholders who have participated in the regulatory process. This project will serve Minnesotans for decades, helping ensure a reliable, resilient electric grid for our region as our energy transition continues. We will continue our commitment to community as we work with property owners over the coming years to construct and energize this project responsibly,” said Great River Energy Vice President and Chief Transmission Officer Priti Patel.
The joint project is one of 18 transmission projects approved in July 2022 by the region’s grid operator, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), in the first phase of its Long Range Transmission Plan to integrate new generation resources and boost grid reliability and resilience as the energy transition continues.
“Expanding the transmission system and working together with other utilities and stakeholders is how we’re maintaining the safe and reliable service our customers and communities depend on while building the carbon-free future,” said Dan Gunderson, vice president – Transmission and Distribution for Minnesota Power. “This joint project with Great River Energy will support local reliability and enhance the regional grid as the way we generate, transmit and use electricity evolves. It also will enhance the grid’s flexibility and resiliency. We appreciate the thorough regulatory process and the input and interaction of many stakeholders to achieve the best route possible.”
BILLIONS FOR LOCAL COMMUNITIES
Researchers from the University of Minnesota Duluth estimated that Great River Energy and Minnesota Power will invest more than $1.18 billion in the Northland Reliability Project by the time construction is completed in 2030.
Statewide, the project is predicted to add $705 million in employee wages and benefits, more than $1 billion in “value-added spending,” and nearly $2 billion in output to the state’s economy. Researchers estimated an average of 246 jobs will be directly supported by the project each year from 2023 to 2030. The employment multiplier suggests that for every job directly supported by the project, another 2.35 jobs may be added in other supporting industries.
WHAT’S IN THE PLAN?
Construction is expected to begin on the segment of the project in Benton and Sherburne counties in late 2025 and on the remainder of the project in 2027 with the transmission line expected to be operational by 2030. The route approved by the Commission generally follows existing transmission corridors and runs through Itasca, Aitkin, Crow Wing, Morrison, Benton and Sherburne counties.
The Northland Reliability project is divided into two segments.
Segment one: Approximately 140 miles of new 345-kV double-circuit transmission lines will be constructed primarily along existing transmission line corridors, from Minnesota Power’s Iron Range Substation in Itasca County to Great River Energy’s Benton County Substation near St. Cloud.
Segment two: A 20-mile 230-kV line will be replaced with two 345-kV circuits along existing transmission corridors from the Benton County Substation to a new Big Oaks Substation that will be built as part of a separate project. A 20-mile 345-kV line will also be replaced along existing transmission corridors from the Benton County Substation to the Sherco Substation in Sherburne County.
In addition to the transmission line, the Northland Reliability Project will expand the Iron Range Substation near Grand Rapids and the Benton County Substation near St. Cloud. A new Cuyuna Series Compensation Station will be built in Crow Wing County near the existing Riverton Substation.
