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Brookings County - Hampton Transmission Line Project

Project Docket

Docket No ET2/TL 08-1474
Project Name Brookings County - Hampton Transmission Line Project
Description Proposed 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission line and associated facilities running from Brookings County, South Dakota, to Hampton, Minnesota
Location Brown County, Dakota County, Le Sueur County, Lincoln County, Lyon County, Redwood County, Renville County, Rice County, Scott County, Sibley County, Yellow Medicine County
Contact Ray Kirsch | raymond.kirsch@state.mn.us | 651-539-1841
Status
  • 2009-01-27: Application accepted
  • 2009-03-30: Public meeting
  • 2009-06-30: Scoping decision
  • 2009-10-20: Draft EIS available
  • 2009-11-12: Public meeting
  • 2009-11-30: Public hearing
  • 2010-01-26: Final EIS available
  • 2010-09-14: Permit Decision
  • 2015-03-26: Project built
  • Upcoming: Docket closed
eDockets 08-1474

Project Summary

On December 29, 2008, Great River Energy and Xcel Energy (permittees) applied to the Minnesota Public Utitilities Commission for a route permit for the Brookings County to Hampton 345 kV transmission line project.  The permittees proposed to construct and operate a 345 kV transmission line, approximately 237 miles long, beginning at the state's western border near Hendricks, Minnesota, and ending south of the Twin Cities metro area near Hampton, Minnesota. The project is one of four projects proposed in Minnesota as part of the CapX2020 transmission initiative.

The route application was reviewed under the full permitting process of the Power Plant Siting Act.  Upon completion of a draft and final environmental impact statement (EIS) and a public hearing process, the Commission issued a route permit for segments 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 of the project on September 14, 2010.  After additional public hearings, the Commission issued a route permit for segment 4 of the project on March 1, 2011.  Since issuing the route permits, the Commission has amended the permits for select areas of the route to address engineering constraints and landowner concerns and to clarify sections of the permits which were unclear.

The project has been constructed and is in operation.  The last transmission line segment was energized on March 26, 2015.

Key Project Documents

Date Title Description
05/26/2015 Commission Order Approving Minor Alteration for Cedar Lake Project Commission order approving a minor alteration for temporary use of the open position on structures 044 through 068 of the Brookings project to carry a new 115 kV line
07/18/2013 Commission Order Approving Minor Alteration and Issuing Permit Amendment (Amendment #5) Commission order approving a minor alteration for the Brookings to Hampton project. The amendment addresses a change in the route between structures 0961-006 and 0961-010 in segment 6 of the project
10/15/2012 Commission Order Approving Minor Alteration and Issuing Permit Amendment (Amendment #4) Commission order issuing a permit amendment for the Brookings to Hampton project. The amendment addresses a change in the route between structures 243 and 250 in segment 3 of the project
09/10/2012 Commission Order Approving Minor Alteration and Issuing Permit Amendment (Amendment #3) Commission order issuing a permit amendment for the Brookings to Hampton project. The amendment addresses the use of quadruple circuit specialty structures for the project
07/10/2012 Commission Order Approving Minor Alterations and Issuing Permit Amendment (Amendment #2) Commission order issuing a permit amendment for the Brookings to Hampton project. The amendment addresses modifications in segment 3 of the project related to engineering constraints and landowner concerns
02/29/2012 Commission Order Approving Minor Alterations and Issuing Permit Amendment (Amendment #1) Commission order issuing a permit amendment for the Brookings to Hampton project. The amendment addresses new maps, the size and location of the Hampton substation, and the number of conductors spanning Interstate 35
03/01/2011 Route Permit for the Brookings to Hampton 345 kV Transmission Line Project The Commission's route permit addendum for segment 4 of the Brookings to Hampton project, including links to route permit maps
09/14/2010 Route Permit for the Brookings to Hampton 345 kV Transmission Line Project The Commission's route permit for segments 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 of the Brookings to Hampton project, including links to route permit maps
01/26/2010 Brookings-Hampton Transmission Project Final Environmental Impact Statement The Final EIS responds to timely substantive comments received on the Draft EIS consistent with the Scoping Decision Document. The Final EIS also contains corrections/revisions to the Draft EIS. The Draft EIS and Final EIS serve as the complete EIS for the proposed project

Project Documents