Over one hundred local citizens turned out Tuesday evening at the Becker Community Center gymnasium to take a first look at Xcel Energy’s proposal to build a new transmission line that would connect the current Sherco site to renewable wind energy farms near Marshall, MN.

Numerous Xcel Energy officials were on hand to explain the scope of the project, the possible corridor routes, and engineering details of the expansive transmission line that would stretch for somewhere between 160 to 180 miles depending on the final location.

According to Randy Fordice, Xcel Energy Manager for Transmission Communications and Public Affairs, the project is needed to utilize the existing power socket infrastructure currently located at the Sherco site.  Federal guidelines require the re-purposing of the existing grid connection or else it would be lost permanently.  Essentially, the transmission line would bring wind-powered electricity from southwestern MN to the Sherco site to help offset the loss when all three coal plants are taken off line in the coming years.

Towers

The transmission line would consist of steel structures ranging in height from 90 to 160 feet tall, built on top of concrete footings that may be anywhere from 28 to 48 feet deep, depending on soil conditions. Specifications call for the towers to be placed approximately 800 to 1,000 feet apart, with a right-of-way of 75 feet on either side of the structure, for a total of 150 feet.

Last year, Xcel notified via US Mail nearly 150,000 Minnesotans that were considered to live within the “Notice Area,” meaning they could be impacted by the proposed project.

Since that time, Xcel has narrowed down their options for construction and Tuesday evening was the start of the process to notify local landowners and citizens of possible routing locations.

To determine the corridors, Fordice said that the company first looked at crossing sites for both rivers — the Minnesota and Mississippi — that the lines will span.  He says the company also looks to utilize existing boundaries such as state highways, county roads or existing power lines when possible.

The result of this initial planning was a map that outlined numerous different configurations that could be used to successfully complete the project.

Project Timeline

A total of two permits will be required to implement the project, both of which would be issued by the MN Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The first would be what is called a Certificate of Need, showing that the project is necessary to meet the renewable energy goals that the PUC has established for the state of MN. According to Fordice, Xcel could apply for this permit in late spring of 2023 with an expected decision coming back in perhaps one year.

The second application for a permit could be submitted in the fall of 2023 and will offer the PUC two different route options for a Route Permit Application. This permit application would also likely take a year of consideration by the PUC, and would possibly include public hearings and community meetings under the direction of an Administrative Law Judge.

If all the permits were issued, Xcel would expect to have final approval by the end of 2024, with 2025 then earmarked for the company to negotiate permanent easements for the land to be used for the tower locations. Construction could start in 2026 and would take approximately three years.

Landowners

Fordice said that Xcel works with each landowner to negotiate fair compensation for the siting and location of the towers.

“We purchase a permanent easement that allows us to build, operate and maintain the transmission line,” Fordice said. “Compensation is based on each parcel’s market value.”

In the case of a stalemate in negotiations, the power of eminent domain can be used as a last resort once the PUC has permitted the project.

Fordice said the goal of Tuesday’s meeting was to gather feedback from residents about specific ideas that could be incorporated into the final maps detailing the exact routes. 

Two of the most common concerns residents voice about the lines are the visual impacts of the towers (they will be similar to the CapX towers located along I-94 near Alexandria, MN) and the production of electric and magnetic fields (EMFs). According to information provided at the event, the transmission line is expected to create magnetic fields measured in milliGauss (mG) at the edge of the right of way that is somewhere between the amount emitted between a common household dishwasher and a fluorescent light.

Input

In the coming weeks and months, Xcel is holding several other open houses on the project, as well as scheduling meetings with local units of government— townships, cities and counties— to try and speak with elected officials and planning professionals.  All of this input will be used in proposing the final route options to the PUC.

“We want to talk to these local people to see what we should be looking at in their jurisdiction,” Fordice says.

From there, he expects there will also be involvement with state agencies such as the DNR and MN DOT to gather as much input into the decision making process as possible.

Information

Xcel has created a dedicated website that contains much of the information presented at the open house, as well as detailed maps of the proposed routes.  All images are expected to be available by the beginning of March at www.MNEnergyConnection.com. The website also lists the upcoming open house dates, as well as a link to the online comment form where citizens can share their input on the proposal.