Xcel Energy, Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency, Great River Energy, Missouri River Energy Services, and Otter Tail Power Company will upgrade nearly 100 miles of transmission line in Minnesota and eastern South Dakota to deliver more low-cost renewable energy to customers throughout the Upper Midwest and save costs of customers annually.
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has approved the installation of a second high-voltage circuit on two segments of the existing Brookings County-Hampton transmission line.
The new circuit will run approximately 60 miles from the Brookings County substation near White, South Dakota to the Lyon County substation near Marshall, Minnesota. A second 39-mile circuit will run between the Helena substation in Scott County, Minnesota and the Hampton substation in Dakota County, Minnesota.
During construction, crews will proactively close power along the segment of transmission line to protect workers installing the new wire. While some wind production in the region is expected to be reduced, if wind levels exceed the system’s capability, the construction will not cause power outages for customers on the Upper Midwest energy system.
Xcel Energy will start construction in South Dakota in June 2024 and expects to complete the project in 2025.
The project will provide additional capacity, allowing more low-cost generation from southwest Minnesota and eastern South Dakota to reach customers throughout the region. Wind energy will not only help protect against increasing fuel prices but also save customers money.
“This project will bring low-cost renewable energy to millions of homes and businesses, supporting Xcel Energy’s clean energy vision and Minnesota’s 2040 carbon-free law,” said Ryan Long, president, Xcel Energy-Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. “The project will use existing infrastructure to decrease congestion on our transmission system while limiting the impact to landowners in the area.”
