Hiawatha Project
Xcel Energy has proposed the Hiawatha Project to make major improvements to the electric infrastructure in south Minneapolis in order to meet the area’s growing need for electricity.
The Hiawatha Project would construct two 115-kilovolt transmission lines along 29th Street E and the Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority Corridor in south Minneapolis. The 1.4 mile-long lines would connect to a new substation near the Hiawatha corridor and another new substation at Oakland Ave South. Pending regulatory review and approval, construction would begin in mid 2011 and be completed in 2012.
On April 24, 2009 Xcel Energy filed a Route Permit Application (Application) with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) -- officially beginning the state’s permitting process. The Application reflects the input we received from the public during months of outreach and includes multiple transmission line routes and design options -- with two underground options -- and alternative locations for both substations, as well as comments we received from stakeholders and resolutions passed by elected officials and community organizations.
What's New...
Certificate of Need Required
The Minnesota State Legislature has passed legislation that requires Xcel Energy to go through the Certificate of Need process for the Hiawatha Project. Prior to the passage of this legislation, a project the size of the Hiawatha Project did not require a certificate of need before it could be permitted. During this process, the MPUC will evaluate the need for the project and determine the type of transmission lines to construct (if any). The process, which will include notices to the community and opportunities for public input, typically takes a year to complete. Look for future updates about the certificate of need process.
Contested Case Hearings Held
Administrative Law Judge Beverly Jones Heydinger recently held contested case hearings on the Hiawatha Project. Public hearings were held April 5-6 at Plaza Verde in south Minneapolis. Evidentiary hearings were held April 12-21 and April 26-May 4 at the MPUC offices in St. Paul. Transcripts of the hearings are available in hard copy at the following libraries: Central, Nokomis (when it reopens), East Lake, Franklin, Roosevelt and Hosmer.
Xcel Energy filed its Post hearing Brief and Findings of Fact with Judge Heydinger
The next major step in the process is for Judge Heydinger to submit a report to the MPUC with findings and conclusions, along with her recommendation on a route permit for the Hiawatha Project. For more information about the contested case hearings or Judge Heydinger’s report, contact the Office of Administrative Hearings at 651-361-7900.
Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Available
On June 4, 2010 the Department of Commerce-Office of Economic Security (OES) issued the Final EIS for the Hiawatha Project, which documents the potential environmental and human impacts of the Project and studies the range of proposed route alternatives and design options. Visit the document web page.
For more information, contact the OES at 1-800-657-3794.
Additional Information...
Route Permit Application Contents, with Need Document
The Application also is available online at the MPUC. To order a copy of the application, contact RaeLynn Asah or call 612-330-6512 (Se habla espanol). Please specify the document format (paper or CD), the number of copies and your mailing address. We encourage CDs to save paper.
Sign up on the project mailing list to receive official project information and meeting notices from the MPUC.
Public Involvement Opportunities
The Minnesota Office of Energy Security has put together a diagram of public involvement opportunities in the permitting process. Visit Energy Facilities for more information.
Additional Information
