The US power companies Allete and Grid United have announced plans to build a 385 mile (620 km), 600-kV high-voltage direct current (HVDC) power transmission line from central North Dakota to Colstrip, Montana, in the northwest of the US.
The North Plains Connector line, which will provide 3 GW of bi-directional capacity between the two states, will more than double the transfer capacity between the Western and Eastern interconnections. It will also be the first transmission connection between three regional US electric energy markets (the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, the Western Interconnection and the Southwest Power Pool).
The US$2.5bn project is expected to be commissioned by 2029 pending regulatory approvals. The two companies expect to receive project permitting during the course of 2023.