Map & Routing Process
Developing the route
Constructing a new transmission line may seem as easy as drawing a straight line from one endpoint (substation) to another, but there's more to it than that. Even though we know our endpoints, identifying potential routes between the two substations will involve desktop and field studies, engineering and environmental analyses, and public input. When determining the route the project team will consider a variety of factors such as cost, community impacts, landowner feedback, constructability, future needs, and more.
Explore our interactive map below, then learn about our Routing Process.
Drop a pin to add a comment about the route corridors.
Routing Process
We'll continue holding meetings with the public and agencies throughout the routing process to gather feedback and information. Your input will be helpful for our project team when developing potential routes for the transmission line.
After carefully considering input and evaluating opportunities, constraints, permit requirements, and technical guidelines, the project team will identify two proposed routes in Minnesota and one proposed route in South Dakota.
Study area
With an established project need from MISO, we identified a large study area that contained both substations.
Public open house #1
A series of open houses were held to introduce the project and provide stakeholders an opportunity to ask questions and provide input early.
Project corridors
The team utilized the input gathered to identify project corridors where construction may be possible.
Public open house #2
A series of open houses were held to gather input from stakeholders to help the team identify opportunities and constraints within the project corridors.
Route corridors
The project team used the feedback received to continue narrowing the project corridor into a proposed route corridors.
Public open house #3
A third series of open houses were held in February 2024 to gather feedback on the route corridors to help us develop a proposed route.
Proposed routes
The project team is currently reviewing feedback received from the open houses held in February to develop two proposed routes in Minnesota and one proposed route in South Dakota.
File proposed route in South Dakota
We filed on April 15, 2024
A proposed route was submitted to the SD Public Utilities Commission on April 15, 2024, who will review and hold public hearings before making a decision on the route.
Public open house #4 (MN)
A fourth series of open houses are scheduled for June 24 - 27. Attendees will have an opportunity to see the two route corridors we'll present in our MN route permit application.
File proposed routes in Minnesota
Two proposed routes will be submitted to the MN Public Utilities Commission, who will review and hold public hearings before deciding on the route permit.
Library & FAQs
Download project and permitting documents and find answers in our FAQ section.
Learn more
Learn more