Xcel Energy Dairyland Power Rochester Public Utilities Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency

Meeting Southern
Minnesota's Energy Demand

The Mankato-Mississippi River Transmission Project will increase reliability, resiliency during extreme weather and access to more low-cost renewable energy for customers.

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Regulatory Review Process

In April, Xcel Energy filed a Certificate of Need and Route Permit Application with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission proposing two route options. The State of Minnesota held scoping meetings to begin developing the project's Environmental Impact Statement in July and will release the findings in the coming days. Click the link below to learn more about the project and participate.

Learn more and participate

Powering the Way

The Mankato-Mississippi River Transmission Project will improve reliability, deliver low-cost renewable energy and provide other regional benefits by building new and more resilient 'backbone' electric transmission infrastructure to serve customers.

The Mankato-Mississippi River Transmission Project includes about 120 miles of new and upgraded 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission lines between the existing Wilmarth Substation near Mankato and a connection point at the Mississippi River near Kellogg. It also includes building about 20 miles of new 161 kV transmission lines between the existing North Rochester Substation near Pine Island and an existing transmission line northeast of Rochester, which is being relocated from its existing alignment to install the new 345 kV infrastructure. The project is organized into four segments that include either new or upgraded infrastructure.

Map showing the four segments of the project.
Click to enlarge View our Interactive Map

Need for New Infrastructure

This project is part of a portfolio of long-range electric transmission projects identified by the regional grid operator, MISO, to improve reliability and make the grid more resilient during extreme weather, and ensure customers receive the electricity they need as aging generation plants are retired and new wind and solar energy developments are built.

  • Increased Reliability

    Creating new network connections across the grid means a more reliable energy system.

  • Reduced Congestion

    Just like a highway, the electric grid gets congested too. New transmission means increased capacity to deliver more energy and reduce costs for customers.

  • Increased Resiliency

    Providing access and connections to more renewable energy sources means less carbon.

  • Low-Cost Energy

    New transmission lines means access to more low-cost renewable energy.

How Transmission Works

Watch this short video to learn how transmission infrastructure supports our electric grid.

Schedule

We're working in your communities to share information, collect your input and if approved, build this project. We anticipate this project being in service in 2028.

2022

  • Project identified by MISO

2023

  • Planning
  • Route development process begins
  • Public and stakeholder engagement
  • Preliminary engineering

2024-2026

  • Minnesota permitting review (including public engagement)
  • Detailed engineering
  • Negotiate with landowners to purchase easements
  • Obtain other required permits
  • Continued public and stakeholder engagement
  • Submit Certificate of Need and Route Permit Application

2026-2028

  • Construction

2028

  • In-service and restoration

*Schedules are subject to change.

Project Segments

Learn more about each of the four project segments, explore the interactive map and drop a pin to leave a comment.

View our Interactive Map

Library & FAQs

Download a project fact sheet and review frequently asked questions.

View Library & FAQs

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Comments? Questions?

If you have questions or comments, we want to hear from you.