Project Status: PLANNING
Strategic Purpose: Asset Reliability & Diversification
Project Contact: Email the project team
Related Resource(s): Project map
Wabasha Relocation Project
About
The Wabasha Relocation Project will relocate an existing electric transmission line that serves a critical role in providing reliable electric service to homes and businesses in southeast Minnesota. As a critical services provider, Dairyland Power Cooperative is relocating this existing transmission line to a new right-of-way.
Project Details
The Wabasha Relocation Project includes relocating 13.3 miles of 161-kilovolt (kV) transmission line between Plainview Township and Greenfield Township in Wabasha County, Minn. It also includes building a new substation near the City of Kellogg, Minn.
Current Project Status
In March 2024, Dairyland Power Cooperative filed a combined Certificate of Need and Route Permit Application with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for the Wabasha Relocation Project. Minnesota law requires applicants to obtain a Certificate of Need and Route Permit from the PUC before a transmission line project can be built.
The PUC and Department of Commerce conducted a formal review; public scoping meetings were held virtually on June 11, and in-person on June 12, 2024.
Following the scoping meeting, the Department of Commerce will produce an Environmental Assessment. Once the Environmental Assessment is available, there will be a public hearing before an Administrative Law Judge where landowners can submit additional feedback regarding the Project. The PUC will review all public feedback and environmental analysis before issuing a final decision on the route, which is expected in 2025. On Feb. 11-12, 2025, the MN PUC, MN Department of Commerce and Office of Administrative Hearings held in-person and virtual (via webinar) public hearings on the route permit application. Comments were accepted through March 4, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. (Central).
Regulatory Review Process
The public can receive digital project updates from the Public Utilities Commission by following the steps below:
- Go to https://mn.gov/puc/edockets/
- Click on “Go to eDockets” then click on “eFiling Home/Login” in the left menu.
- Click on the “Subscribe to Dockets” button.
- Enter your email address.
- Select “Docket Number” from the Type of Subscriptions drop-down box.
- For the Certificate of Need docket, select “23” from the first Docket number down box and enter “504” in the second box before clicking on the “Add to List” button.
- For the Route Permit docket, select “23” from the first Docket number drop-down box and enter “388” in the second box before clicking on the “Add to List” button.
- You must then click the “Save” button at the bottom of the page to confirm your subscription to the docket.
OR
Contact:
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Jim Sullivan |
Phone: 651.539.1059 |
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Trevor Culbertson |
Phone: 651-201-2257 |
The Certificate of Need and Route Permit Application is available for viewing here.
Anticipated Schedule
2022
- Project identified by MISO
2023
- Route development process
- Public and stakeholder outreach
- Preliminary engineering
2024 – 2025
- Submit combined Certificate of Need (CON) and Route Permit Application (RPA)
- Land surveying and design
- Working with landowners to purchase easements
- Acquire additional permits
2026 – 2027
- Construction
2028
- In-service
- Project area restoration
*Schedule may be subject to change.
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Project At A Glance |
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County where facilities may be placed |
Wabasha, Minn. |
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Distribution Cooperative Service Territories |
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Line length |
13.3 miles 161 kV |
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Voltage |
161 kV |
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Estimated project cost |
$27 million |
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End points |
Minnesota: A new 161/69 kV Substation that Dairyland will be constructing, located near the Mississippi River crossing by the Greenfield Township in Wabasha County, Minn. Minnesota: Wabaco Substation |
