Xcel Energy proposes 175-mile transmission line connecting new renewable projects to Sherco

Xcel Energy has proposed two route options for its 175-mile transmission line project connecting its planned renewable energy facilities in southwestern Minnesota to the electrical grid at its Sherco plant in Becker.

The state's biggest utility says its Minnesota Energy Connection would run between Lyon County, where it's proposing a 1,200-megawatt wind power development, and Becker, where the company intends to retire its coal plants and is building a 710-megawatt solar farm.

"The double-circuit, 345 kilovolt transmission line will link up to 4,000 megawatts of new renewable energy to the grid, replacing electricity generated at the retiring Sherco coal plant," Xcel Energy said in an announcement on Tuesday.

The permit application process requires the Minnesota energy company to provide at least two route options for the proposed transmission line.

The options follow existing corridors where possible, such as roads and existing transmission lines, to help minimize "impacts to land use" that includes agricultural operations, natural resources, cultural and historical sites and recreational areas.

“Southwest Minnesota holds some of the richest wind resources in the country,” said Michael Lamb, senior vice president, customer delivery, gas and electric with Xcel Energy. 

“Proposing route options in this application for the Minnesota Energy Connection brings the transmission line one step closer to harnessing these resources to better provide clean, reliable and affordable electricity to the communities we serve.”

Xcel says its Minnesota Energy Connection project leaders have reached out to 150,000 landowners and received more than 750 individual comments on how different routes would affect the specific areas.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and Minnesota Department of Commerce will review the route permit filing along with a certificate of need application Xcel Energy filed for the Minnesota Energy Connection in early 2023.

The process is expected to take roughly 12 to 15 months to give customers, landowners and stakeholders an opportunity to provide input.

The project is expected to receive an infrastructure investment of more than $1 billion for the region, creating hundreds of jobs to build the transmission line and other associated renewable energy projects, Xcel Energy says.

If both the certificate and route permit are approved, construction could begin as soon as late 2025 and finish up in late 2027, when the wind power development is 

In July, Xcel Energy also received approval to build a battery system to store renewably generated energy at the former Sherco plant.