Fargo-St. Cloud 345 kV project

	Project quick facts 345 kV line – about 210 miles Targeted in-service – 2013-2015 Minnesota route maps North Dakota route maps Fact sheet Communications and public outreach

The proposed Fargo-St. Cloud 345 kV transmission line will improve community reliability in the southern Red River Valley and the Fargo, Alexandria and St. Cloud areas. The project will also support additional generation development, including renewable generation, in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota.

The double circuit capable 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line will be built between a new Bison Substation west of Fargo, North Dakota, the existing Alexandria Switching Station in Alexandria, Minnesota, the new Quarry Substation west of St. Cloud.

Single pole steel structures will predominantly be used to reduce land impacts. Structures are between 140 and 170 feet tall and will be between 800 and 1,000 feet apart. Typically, a 150-foot right-of-way will be required.

Minnesota permitting

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission must grant two approvals before construction – a Certificate of Need and a Route Permit. An environmental report is prepared by the Department of Commerce, Office of Energy Security during the need process, and an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is written during routing.

• Route Permit application – filed October 1, 2009
• EIS scoping decision – issued April 15, 2010
• Route maps
• 345 kV underground report

North Dakota permitting

Before a high voltage transmission line can be built in North Dakota, three permits must be filed with the North Dakota Public Service Commission – a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity (CPCN), a Certificate of Corridor Compatibility and a Route Permit.

• Route maps
• Late 2010 (anticipated) – filing of CPCN
• Early 2011 (anticipated) – filing of Certificate of Corridor Compatibility
• Early 2011 (anticipated) – filing of Route Permit application