Southwest Minnesota Transmission Project: Split Rock to Lakefield Junction and Chanarambie to Nobles County

Split Rock to Lakefield Junction

This project is needed to support the development of additional wind power and to strengthen electric service reliability in the region. The project includes the construction of a new 87-mile 345-kV transmission line connecting Lakefield Junction Substation in Minnesota with Split Rock Substation near Sioux Falls, S.D.

Chanarambie to Nobles County

This part of the project includes construction of a new 37-mile 115-kilovolt line in Nobles and Murray counties that will be tied into a new Nobles County substation. The 115-kV line will be tied into a new 345-kV line at the new substation and will connect to the existing Chanarambie Substation near Lake Wilson, Minn.

Nobles County Substation

A new 345kV-115kV-34.5kV transmission substation is required and will be sited near Reading, Minn. 

Status

The Minnesota Environmental Quality Board approved the route for the Minnesota portion of the Split Rock to Lakefield Junction 345-kV line at its June 16 meeting. Included in that decision was the site selection for the Nobles County substation and the route for the Nobles County to Chanarambie 115-kV transmission line. Electronic copies of the route permit, application and information regarding the MEQB review process can be found on their web site http://www.eqb.state.mn.us/Docket.html?Id=6466. Xcel Energy plans to file for a route permit from South Dakota in August 2005.

Documents

Fact sheets, maps and other materials are available below, coded according to when they were filed or released.