Puget Sound Energy (PSE) has signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with North Plains Connector, a wholly owned entity of Grid United, to develop North Plains Connector, a 420-mile, 3,000 MW HVDC transmission line.
Under the terms of the MOU, PSE would own 750 MW share of North Plains Connector among the participating utilities. While Grid United will continue to fund the development of North Plains Connector, PSE is expected to invest when project regulatory approvals and permits are completed.
Grid United and ALLETE are jointly developing North Plains Connector.
Once completed, the project will establish the first transmission link among the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, and the Southwest Power Pool, providing additional flexibility and resource sharing across multiple western states. PSE is supporting the development of a modern and efficient grid to better integrate renewable energy sources and help reduce GHG emissions by investing in a bidirectional HVDC transmission line.
In early 2024, PSE joined a group of eight utilities as part of the North Plains Interregional Innovation (NPC II) consortium to support the $700 million GRIP (Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships) grant conditionally awarded to the Montana Department of Commerce by the U.S. Department of Energy. Most of the Department of Energy’s GRIP grant will support the construction of North Plains Connector, solidifying federal support for the project's development.
In October, the project entered the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process for federal permitting. The project is scheduled to be operational by 2032.
