Project Status: PLANNING
Strategic Purpose: Asset Reliability & Diversification
Project Contact: Email the project team
Related Resource(s): Project map

Wabasha Relocation Project

About
The Wabasha Relocation Project will relocate an existing electric transmission line that serves a critical role in providing reliable electric service to homes and businesses in southeast Minnesota. As a critical services provider, Dairyland Power Cooperative is relocating this existing transmission line to a new right-of-way.  

Project Details  
The Wabasha Relocation Project includes relocating 13.3 miles of 161-kilovolt (kV) transmission line between Plainview Township and Greenfield Township in Wabasha County, Minn. It also includes building a new substation near the city of Kellogg, Minn.   

Current Project Status 
In March 2024, Dairyland Power Cooperative filed a combined Certificate of Need and Route Permit Application with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for the Wabasha Relocation Project. Minnesota law requires applicants to obtain a Certificate of Need and Route Permit from the PUC before a transmission line project can be built.    

The PUC and Department of Commerce conducted a formal review. The public scoping meetings were held virtually on June 11, and in-person on June 12, 2024.  

Following the scoping meeting, the Department of Commerce will produce an Environmental Assessment. Once the Environmental Assessment is available, there will be a public hearing before an Administrative Law Judge where landowners can submit additional feedback regarding the Project. The PUC will review all public feedback and environmental analysis before issuing a final decision on the route, which is expected in 2025. The PUC will notify landowners when the public hearings are scheduled. The hearings will also be advertised in the local newspaper and posted on our website.    

Regulatory Review Process 

The public can receive digital project updates from the Public Utilities Commission by following the steps below: 

  1. Go to https://mn.gov/puc/edockets/ 

  1. Click on “Go to eDockets” then click on “eFiling Home/Login” in the left menu.  

  1. Click on the “Subscribe to Dockets” button.  

  1. Enter your email address.  

  1. Select “Docket Number” from the Type of Subscriptions drop down box.

    1. For the Certificate of Need docket select “23” from the first Docket number down box and enter “504” in the second box before clicking on the “Add to List” button.   

    2. For the Route Permit docket select “23” from the first Docket number drop down box and enter “388” in the second box before clicking on the “Add to List” button.   

  2. You must then click the “Save” button at the bottom of the page to confirm your subscription to the docket.   

OR 

Contact

Jim Sullivan 
Department of Commerce

Phone: 651.539.1059 
Email: jim.sullivan@state.mn.us 

Trevor Culbertson 
Public Utilities Commission 

Phone: 651-201-2257 
Email: trevor.culbertson@state.mn.us 

The Certificate of Need and Route Permit Application is available for viewing here. 

Anticipated Schedule  
2022  

  • Project identified by MISO  

2023  

  • Begin route development process  

  • Public and stakeholder outreach  

  • Preliminary engineering  

2024 – 2025  

  • Submit combined Certificate of Need (CON) and Route Permit Application (RPA) 

  • Land surveying and design  

  • Working with landowners to purchase easements  

  • Acquire additional permits  

2026 – 2027  

  • Construction  

2028  

  • In-service  

  • Project area restoration  

*Schedule may be subject to change.  

Project At A Glance
County where facilities may be placed

Wabasha, Minn.
Distribution Cooperative Service Territories

Peoples
Line length

14 miles 161 kV
Voltage

161 kV
Estimated project cost $27 million
End points

Minnesota: A new 161/69 kV Substation that Dairyland will be constructing, located near the Mississippi River crossing by the Greenfield Township in Wabasha County, Minn.

Minnesota: Wabaco Substation