MN Power to host open houses on 63-mile transmission line this week
Minnesota Power is hosting several open houses this week where the public can learn more about its proposed 63-mile transmission line.
The proposed transmission line would span 63 miles and carry 345 kilovolts. The line would run from Minnesota Power’s “Iron Range Substation near Grand Rapids to its St. Louis County Substation near Hermantown with a connection to American Transmission Co.’s nearby Arrowhead Substation.”
The project’s website has an interactive map. You can type in an address to see potential routes in relation to a specific address. The project hopes to undergo permitting from 2026 to 2028 and be in service by 2032 and is presently considering routes.
Minnesota Power notes that the project has been approved by the regional grid operator, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), and says that it would “enhance regional transfer capability and grid reliability in the Upper Midwest,” and support load growth and electrification.
However, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will still need to consider the company’s application, which the company will be submitting on or before February 6, 2026.
While several of the open houses have passed already, there is one tonight, May 21, at the Floodwood Event Center (5:00-8:00 p.m.), and two more scheduled for Thursday, May 22 in Hermantown and Cloquet. The company says, “Project displays and detailed maps will be available for review” and staff will be there to answer questions.
See the postcard from Solway Township and Minnesota Power’s press release for specifics. You can read the documents submitted to the PUC so far by visiting the PUC filing website and entering docket numbers 25-111 and 25-112.
If you can’t make it to these meetings but want more information about the project, the website has a slide deck at this page. To ask a question or leave a comment, send an email to [email protected].
Minnesota Power hosts open houses on proposed high-voltage power line | KAXE