Minnesota Power, an affiliate of Allete, and Great River Energy, a cooperative power utility, have unveiled plans to build a 241 km-long (150 miles-long), double-circuit 345-kV power transmission line from northern to central Minnesota (United States) aimed at improving electric reliability in the Upper Midwest.
The transmission line is expected to cost approximately US$970m and should be commissioned in 2030. The line would run from an existing substation in Itasca County (operated by Minnesota Power) to a substation in Benton County, near St. Cloud (operated by Great River Energy). The project needs to be approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC), which will determine the necessity of the transmission line, as well as finalise a specific route for it.