MANKATO — Xcel Energy’s Mankato to Mississippi River 345-kilovolt Transmission Line Project recently was approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.
The project, the PUC said in a news release, is a foundational element of a regional portfolio developed to ensure a reliable, resilient and cost-effective energy delivery system — the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s Long Range Transmission Projects Tranche 1.
The project consists of a 130-mile 345 kV line stretching from Mankato to the Mississippi River near Kellogg in southeast Minnesota, as well as a 20-mile 161 kV line located near Rochester. Following the recommendation of an administrative law judge, the commission selected a route that minimizes local impacts by using existing transmission corridors and reducing the need for new right-of-way requirements.
The new infrastructure is to relieve critical congestion on the 345 kV transmission system in southern Minnesota and Wisconsin. In addition, the project will enable more renewable energy to flow to customers, while reducing costs.
More than $3.8 billion in economic savings is predicted to be generated over the next 40 years, the PUC said.
“This project is a cornerstone of our regional energy strategy,” Commissioner Joseph Sullivan stated in the release. “As we add new generation resources, these lines will ensure power can move to where it’s needed — keeping the system reliable, affordable and ready for the future.”
Public feedback was a central factor in the approval process, the PUC said. Based on input from residents and stakeholders during scoping meetings, the PUC required Xcel Energy to explore route adjustments in Rice County and in Blue Earth County to better protect homes, prime farmland and local developments.
PUC mandated several environmental protections, including:
• Avian flight diverters to prevent bird collisions
• Wildlife-friendly erosion control and a comprehensive vegetation management plan
• A ban on specific dust-control products known to be harmful to ecosystems
• A tree-replacement plan for the trees removed during construction
The project supports Minnesota’s carbon-free standard, requiring 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. Xcel Energy estimates the line will help cut carbon emissions by nearly 300 million metric tons over 40 years.
Minnesota’s PUC Commission regulates three cornerstone service industries in the state’s economy: electricity, natural gas and telephone.