Got some answers from one of the applicant’s engineers to a few questions on this “Northland Reliability Project,” and confirmation of one of my major questions — the LARGE capacity of the line.

It’s spec’d for up to 3,000 amps which is about 3,500 MVA.

That’s a LOT.

Also note: The applicants are basing their “need” case on the MISO Tranche 1 “approval,” and that’s a crock, but a crock for another day. Earth to Mars, MISO is a electricity marketing outfit!

On to this week’s Transmission Road Show:

These meetings have been the same for decades, people not getting notice, adding another line when they have one or two on their land already, concerns about impacts of EMF (the levels are typically understated, but I need to check this application), impacts on wildlife, wetlands, etc. All legitimate issues, and they just keep ramming these projects through, the applicants pushing them forward, and the Public Utilities Commission has never met a transmission line it didn’t like. Lately, it’s been all about “what can we do to speed this up for you,” and that’s a bit too much.

Today’s mission is to figure out what’s going on with the FOUR or more transmission projects launched this fall. It’s too much to track, but gotta do it.

The meetings this week… it’s disturbing that the Dept. of Commerce EERA reps, and the Public Utilities Commission reps, give out only some of the information. They do NOT let people know all the ways they can participate, i.e. (see these links), Advisory Task Force, Contested Case, INTERVENTION, and please don’t be telling people they have to be hiring expert witnesses, that is NOT true! LET THEM KNOW ABOUT BUY THE FARM! Also, Commerce’s “Project List” for interested folks is DIFFERENT than the Public Utilities Commission‘s list. Be on BOTH!

And come on, you need to let people know how to look up the dockets on the Public Utilities Commission‘s page and encourage them to subscribe:

Go HERE, then down to “Go to eDockets” and then to this section, and plug in the docket number, in this case, 22-415 and 22-416, to get ALL the filings:

Then “subscribe” so you’ll get notice when documents are filed. There are a couple of steps. When you get to the docket full of filings, there’s a “Subscribe” column. Click a box, just one, and then click the “Subscribe” button above.

It will bring you to this screen:

Plug in your email address, select “Docket Number” as “Type of Subscription, and fill in the docket number (22-415 or 22-416 or any other docket you want to track) ” and click “Add to List.” Add to your list, and you’ll receive an email confirmation. Confirm, and you’ll start receiving notification of filings!

TA – DA!!!

There’s a lot people can do to bring their issues to the Commission, and though I don’t think I should have to prod the staff about informing them (that’s NOT legal advice), but, well, somebody’s got to do it!

Sign up, be informed, and weigh in.

Here’s the rough schedule for this project– I’m looking forward to a camping trip for the summer public hearings. The good news is that it will not be like the Great Northern hearings, and having to stay in the mosquito & fly hell hole that is Big Bog State Park!

Here’s the Commerce-PUC-Applicant presentation, same for all the meetings:

Yesterday’s meeting in Sauk Center:

And at Palmer Town Hall, Clear Lake on Wednesday:

Ironton on Tuesday mid-day:

And Tuesday evening in Brainerd:

As above, the Public Hearings before the Administrative Law Judge are expected to be in the summer of 2024, and probably at the same locations. Good, a camping trip is in order, rather than awful hotels with mold by the coffee machine and “My Pillows.”