MINNEAPOLIS (May 17, 2024) – 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, allowing the companies and other energy providers to deliver more low-cost renewable energy to customers throughout the Upper Midwest while saving customers millions of dollars a year.
This week, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved the installation of a second high-voltage circuit on two segments of the existing Brookings County-Hampton transmission line. One segment of new circuit will run between Brookings, South Dakota and Marshall, Minnesota, while the other will run between Scott and Dakota counties in Minnesota. Xcel Energy will start construction beginning in South Dakota this month.
“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. “We thank the Commission and other parties for recognizing the value of this project, which uses existing infrastructure to decrease congestion on our transmission system while limiting the impact to landowners in the area.”
This transmission project will have far-reaching congestion relief benefits. It will provide additional capacity, allowing more low-cost generation from southwest Minnesota and eastern South Dakota to reach customers throughout the region. Wind energy does not have any fuel costs and contributes to a diversified energy mix, which helps protect against rising fuel prices and saves customers money.
Most of the proposed project will not require changes to the existing transmission line route, which began operation in 2015 as part of the CapX2020 project, a joint project with several energy providers. At that time, the MPUC and CapX2020 companies agreed there would likely be a need for new transmission in the future. As a result, the project team constructed the middle portion of the line between Lyon and Scott counties with two circuits and built the western and eastern segments as “double circuit capable.” This allowed the companies to meet customers’ energy needs at the time while anticipating growing demand and wind generation in the future.
The new circuit will be placed on existing transmission structures and 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.
Each segment’s construction will last several months. During these periods, crews will proactively shut off power along the segment of transmission line to protect workers installing the new wire. While some wind production in the region may be curtailed if wind levels exceed the system’s capability, this construction will not cause power outages for customers on the Upper Midwest energy system.
The Public Utilities Commission’s review process included opportunities for input from customers, landowners and other key stakeholders. Xcel Energy anticipates finishing the project in 2025. The project is one of many examples of how these Minnesota energy companies are collaborating to meet future energy needs in the Upper Midwest.
Learn more about the Brookings Second Circuit project, including maps of the project area.
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About Xcel Energy
Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on X and Facebook.
