Adam RollinsThis story was originally published in the Government Contracting Pipeline newsletter from Strategic Partnerships, Inc. To have the latest government contracting news stories from across the country delivered straight to your inbox, click here to subscribe.
Minnesota is the first state to approve a 200-mile regional transmission line that will provide thousands of residents with access to renewable energy, reliable electricity and fewer transmission losses. The state’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) recently approved two watershed transmission projects as part of this transmission line to bolster the state’s energy infrastructure across the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) region.
The approved projects are included among MISO’s Long-Range Transmission Planning (LRTP) projects. The 10 states in MISO Midwest will collectively share the project costs, providing the PUC with the financial power needed to complete the 345-kilovolt (kV) transmission lines. Once implemented, the state will be able to distribute reliable, affordable electricity to communities that need it the most.
The first project – Big Stone South-Alexandria-Big Oaks – will account for the eastern segment of the line. The pipeline will be approximately 100 miles long, connecting the Alexandria substation to a Becker substation. Plans include using existing structures to support 95% of the line, offsetting environmental and landowner impacts. Construction for the segment is expected to begin in the second quarter of 2025.
The Mankato-Mississippi segment will cover the western half of the project, providing energy distribution from the Mankato area to the Mississippi River. However, before construction can begin on the 150-mile line, project operators must analyze alternative routes and the impacts of potentially moving the line from water sources. The PUC will review the project’s draft environmental analysis in 2025.
The regional transmission line is the PUC’s latest investment in modernizing the state’s clean energy distribution system. Last month, the commission approved a certificate of need and route permit to upgrade the existing 465-mile Square Butte transmission system. The project will update the system to mitigate outages and control system failures, creating a reliable, resilient energy transmission network.
Photo by Colin Davis on Unsplash
