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Landowners hear about transmission proposal

By JILL SCHRAMM 3 min read

Landowners took advantage of open houses recently to learn more about a transmission line project proposed to pass south of Minot on a path from a coal-fired generation station near Stanton to a substation near Plaza.

Basin Electric Power Cooperative introduced its Leland Olds Station-to-Burkley-to-Crane Creek 345-kilovolt electric transmission line project at open houses at South Prairie School on Wednesday, Sept. 16, and Plaza on Thursday, Sept. 17.

"What this project would do is connect three substations with what we call 345 kV - high voltage - transmission line, and that kind of transmission line is like an interstate highway for electrons, so it’s an efficient way to move a lot of electricity to where it needs to go. At the substations, those electrons hop off, and then eventually make their way to homes and businesses," said Erin Laverdure, project coordination representative with Basin Electric.

The project consists of about 118 miles of high voltage transmission line. About the first 65 miles follows the corridor of an existing transmission line, Laverdure said. That line runs from the Leland Old Station near Stanton to near a substation to be built, called Burkley, about five miles south of the existing Logan Substation. From Burkley, a new transmission line continues west about 53 miles to the Crane Creek substation, west of Plaza.

"This project was identified to help enhance reliability," Laverdure said. "In times of strain on the system, it makes sure that those electrons are reliably delivered. It also helps alleviate some constraints in the system."

Constraints can prevent power from getting to where it needs to go, so alleviating that issue will improve reliability, she said.

The benefit will be to residents of central North Dakota, with the new substation being built south of Minot as a key point where more power can be delivered, she added. According to Basin Electric information, the project will enable additional load growth in the Minot area, which is limited by current system capacity.

The transmission line proposal is in an early stage. Letters were sent to landowners within a broad corridor, particularly from the proposed Burkley Substation south of Minot to the Crane Creek Substation near Plaza. Currently, Basin Electric is seeking entry permission from landowners to survey and identify any issues that could impact construction before working with landowners to narrow the broad corridor to some viable routes, Laverdure said.

The initial portion of the route where an existing corridor and existing structures could be used also involves permissions and working with landowners. An existing 230-kV line between Leland Olds and the existing Logan Substation south of Minot will be converted to 345-kV

If the project remains on its planned course, construction would start in 2030 and the line would be energized in 2032, according to Basin Electric. The cooperative expects to begin the permitting process through the North Dakota Public Service Commission in 2027.

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