The 220-mile transmission line will carry carbon free hydroelectricity from Manitoba to Northeastern Minnesota.
It will run on a route, yet to be selected, from the US-Canadian border to Minnesota Power’s Blackberry substation near Grand Rapids.
The line will be built on a 200-foot-wide right-of-way and most likely to be built in the Minnesota counties of Beltrami, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, and Roseau.
The project will also feature related substation facilities and transmission system modifications at the Blackberry substation site.
Minnesota Power’s route permit application is pending under a separate MPUC docket, with hearings planned for July and August.
The company is also required to secure a Presidential Permit from the US Department of Energy for an international border crossing.
The line is expected to deliver about 383MW of energy to Minnesota Power’s customers by 1 June 2020 under power purchase agreements with Manitoba Hydro.
Minnesota Power executive vice president Dave McMillan said: "The Great Northern Transmission Line is a signature component of Minnesota Power’s EnergyFoward strategy to reduce carbon emissions and assure continued reliability and affordable rates while diversifying its energy portfolio to a one-third renewable, one-third coal and one-third natural gas energy mix."
Minnesota Power’s transmission and distribution components include 8,866 miles of lines and 169 substations.
Image: The Great Northern transmission line will run on a route yet to be selected from the US-Canadian border to Minnesota Power’s Blackberry substation near Grand Rapids. Photo: courtesy of twobee/FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
