Otter Tail Power Co. has notified the North Dakota Public Service Commission that, together with Minnkota Power Cooperative, it intends to apply for a permit to build an approximately 60-mile-long 230-kV line from Luverne, North Dakota, to the Maple River Substation near West Fargo.
The utilities jointly are studying the feasibility of constructing a generation outlet, including high-voltage lines and substations, in the area. The outlet, which would be capable of carrying approximately 400 MW, is needed to accommodate electricity from proposed wind projects in Barnes, Steele, and Griggs counties. In comparison, the combined total generating capacity of all of North Dakota's wind facilities that are operational or near completion is 475 MW.
The generation outlet and proposed wind projects require North Dakota Public Service Commission approval. Otter Tail Power Co. and Minnkota Power Cooperative also intend to pursue opportunities to purchase power from, or have ownership in, the proposed wind projects.
Subject to board of directors' approval of both utilities, and if successful and timely permits and wind developer agreements can be obtained, the utilities expect to begin constructing the generation outlet in June and completing the project in the fourth quarter of 2008. In late February or early March the utilities will host public open houses for landowners and other interested people to discuss this generation outlet project.
Both utilities serve customers and have transmission lines in the east central area of North Dakota. "We've worked with Minnkota on numerous projects in the past, most recently on transmission and wind development at the Langdon Wind Energy Center, which is currently the largest wind farm in North Dakota," said Otter Tail Power Co. President Chuck MacFarlane.
