Minnesota Power gets key nod for renewable power transmission line

Minnesota Power has secured a key approval for its plan to build a 500-kV transmission line that will facilitate the delivery of renewable and carbon-free hydropower from the Canadian province of Manitoba to the US state of Minnesota.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) has cleared a request for a Certificate of Need (CN) for the Great Northern transmission line, the unit of Allete Inc (NYSE:ALE) said on Friday.

The transmission project will require an investment of between USD 560 million (EUR 489m) and USD 710 million, based on 2013 estimates. Minnesota Power will own a majority stake in the system, which will help it deliver at least 383 MW of energy to its clients by June 1, 2020 under power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Manitoba Hydro.

The planned transmission system will allow Minnesota Power to use Manitoba Hydro’s hydroelectric system to store electricity generated by the Bison wind power centre in North Dakota. The company commissioned the 205-MW fourth phase of the particular wind project in January 2015, bringing the complex’s total capacity to nearly 500 MW.

The company is also waiting for MPUC’s approval of a route permit application this summer, as well as for a Presidential Permit from the US Department of Energy for an international border crossing.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.874)

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