State and federal officials weigh environmental impact of new electric transmission line
State and federal agencies have released a draft environmental report for a proposed electric transmission line across northern Minnesota.
Minnesota Power is proposing the line to carry hydroelectric power from Manitoba, Canada to the Iron Range.
The 500 kilovolt transmission line would cross the Canadian border in Roseau County west of Lake of the Woods, and then cut southeast across the Iron Range to a substation near Grand Rapids, Minn. Depending on the final route, the line would traverse portions of Beltrami, Koochiching and Lake of the Woods counties.
The Duluth-based utility has contracts to deliver at least 383 megawatts of hydropower to its customers by 2020. The project is estimated to cost between $560 and $710 million dollars.
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Minnesota Power is investing in Canadian hydropower to balance its investment in more intermittent wind energy in North Dakota. The utility also anticipates electricity shortages by 2020, when an energy-intensive new iron ore mine and possibly a new copper-nickel mine could be operating.
The Minnesota Department of Commerce and U.S. Department of Energy released the draft environmental report. The project also requires federal approval because it crosses an international border.
Public hearings will be held along the proposed route on July 15 to 16 and July 21 to 22. Comments are due by August 10. A final environmental impact statement is expected to be released in late October.
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved the need for the new transmission line in May.