Legalectric

PowerOn Midwest

PUC Docket CN-25-117 (western part of 765kV) — the meetings are wrapping up:

TONIGHT – ZUMBROTA VFW

5 pm – Open House

6 pm – Info & Scoping Meeting

Comments due May 20th:

So many meetings this month, all over Minnesota for FOUR transmission projects “PowerOn Midwest,” and May will start out the same, it’s “Open House” season for “Gopher to Badger” May 4-7th… Both have meetings in Zumbrota — there’s some overlap, and of course, these are connected, it’s all one project.

Zumbrota – tonight Wednesday, April 29 at 5 or 6 pm, and Tuesday, May 5, from 4-6 pm

… and written comments are due May 20 by 4:30 pm. They’re looking for comments on:

We’ve got about three weeks to get comments in.

Yesterday was Albert Lea and then Austin. This evening, Zumbrota (yes, I’ll be missing Kasson, which starts about now).

The map on display shows the overlap between PowerOn Midwest and Gopher to Badger. What do those numbers in grey represent?

These are Public Utilities Commission’s meetings, “information and scoping,” and not hearings like they used to be. Here’s the full notice:

On to Zumbrota! 5 or 6 pm, be there or be square!

Another full house!

There are more meetings next week,Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, more opportunities to show up and let them know what you think. Keep in mind this is NEED and not ROUTING, so get up to speed on need, demand, cost, cost/benefit, that sort of thing.

Here’s the meeting notice to get an idea what it’s about:

And here’s the Order for the bigger picture:

The important points, in addition to the more technical questions:

Here’s Minn. Stat. 216I.05, subd. 11(e):

And the “Next Gen Highway Act.” Minn. Stat. 161.45 (it’s long, so here’s a link):

Next Gen Highway Act

Cost came up at this meeting, and it’s important to recognize that this particular project may not appear to cost much,but we’re also paying a percentage of all the others too. So I’m parking MISO Schedule 26A again, because we need to know ho’s paying what for this, and need to keep it handy for reference:

Schedule 26A Indicative Annual Charges106365_posted 9-30-2025 Download

Here’s the application, if you really want to get in the weeds, and at least the application — pick out the parts that interest you, there’s bound to be something:

• Application_20262-227787-02 Download
• App A_Checklist_20262-227787-03 Download
• App B_Order Notice & Exemptions_20262-227787-04 Download
• App C_Technical Diagrams_182380-CO-01_20262-227787-05 Download
• App D_Revenue Requirements_20262-22787-06 Download
• App E_Planning Analysis-Public_ 20262-227787-08 Download
• App F1_GRE Forecast_Redacted_20262-227787-10 Download
• App F2_Xcel Forecast-Redacted_20262-227787-12 Download
• App G_ DSM & Conservation_20262-227787-13 Download
• App H_Outreach Materials_20262-227787-14 Download

Time to get to work!!

Check this take on the PowerOn Midwest project:

PowerOn Midwest Project Series Looking to Enhance Electric Grid to Meet Changing Needs

Too bad they weren’t at the meeting last night! Well attended meeting this evening in Windom on the “PowerOn Midwest” transmission project, PUC Docket CN-5-117.

Tomorrow, two more:

The purpose was to “inform” and to take comments on scoping of “Environmental Report.” The notice:

Here’s the order holding that the Application is complete and referring for a Contested Case!!

Here’s the main part of the order that I’m wondering about — exactly how will this work:

There are even more meetings next week:

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

At the April 13, 2026 Red Wing City Council meeting, Mayor Iocco said that he’d been to North Dakota to talk with them about what it means to host a nuclear plant.

Iocco gave a short report on his activities since the last meeting, part of which was a trip to North Dakota to speak with their nuclear committee, that they’re wanting to build a nuclear plant, and he was there to tell them about hosting a nuclear plant. ???

Here’s the link, this starts at ~1:39:

https://redwingmn.portal.civicclerk.com/event/3944/media

Look who else is a part of this — are we surprised?

The North Dakota legislature has an “Advanced Nuclear Energy Committee” and here are links.

FYI, TODAY and TOMORROW, they’re in Idaho, INL.

• AGENDA
• VIDEO – 4/21 – it’s live… (check section on E.O.s and “regulatory reform”)
• VIDEO – 4/22 – should be posted tomorrow

Here are meetings with links. Iocco said that this March 24th meeting was the 3rd he’d been to, LISTEN TO WHAT MAYOR IOCCO SAYS, BEGINNING AT 11:04. But first, here’s the meeting minutes version of what he said:

March 24, 2026 – 10:00 am to 4:00 pm CDT

• Agenda
• Meeting Video – Iocco starts at 11:04
• Minutes

December 15, 2025 – 10:00 am to 4:00 pm CST

• Agenda
• Meeting Video
• Minutes

September 3, 2025 – 9:00 am to 5:00 pm CDT

• Agenda
• Meeting Video
• Minutes

Committee Memorandums

• Advanced Nuclear Energy Study – Background Memorandum (PDF)
• Request for Proposal and Proposal Responses – Advanced Nuclear Energy Study (PDF)
• Supplementary Rules of Operation and Procedure of the North Dakota Legislative Management

Is this promotion in the name of the City of Red Wing authorized? Was there a message approved to be delivered?

I sure had questions when I heard this, and so I filed a Data Practices Act Request yesterday:

My rulemaking petition has been given a docket number and now a Comment Period has been announced — Initial Comments due April 30, and Reply Comments due May 7!

What does the Commission deem “Topic for Comment?” and background?

Note the “background,” for some reason it doesn’t mention that nearly all the rules were REPEALED!!

Why does this matter? Who cares? I would hope the Public Utilities Commission cares (though I won’t hold my breath). The legislature had something to say about rulemaking when they repealed almost all the rules:

Note the use of “may,” which is way too much wiggle room: “The commission, in order to give effect to the purposes of this chapter, may adopt rules consistent with this chapter…” Knowing how they avoided rulemaking and tossed the years of work in docket R-12-1246, “may” is just not adequate. I can’t find that any rulemaking has begun, and I’d nosed around about it and no return call… no surprise. It seems to be a “Rules? We don’t need no stinkin’ rules!” attitude. Think that’s wise when we’re looking at Need and Routing for the biggest transmission lines in Minnesota history? As Shawn would say, “Goes to show you don’t think!!!!!”

OK, fine… if you, the regulators, won’t get on it, no problem. Here’s a rulemaking petition:

Rulemaking Petition – Minn. R. ch. 7850 & 7849 April 13th, 2026

Now, let’s file comments, and get you all on record about it, and better yet, let’s get moving on rules. I mean really, look at what all was repealed — there are virtually NO RULES for siting and routing of utility infrastructure!

CHAPTER 7850, SITE OR ROUTE PERMIT; POWER PLANT OR LINE

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

Part	Title
7850.0100	[Renumbered 4410.7000]
7850.0200	[Renumbered 4410.7100]
7850.0300	[Renumbered 4410.7200]
7850.0400	[Renumbered 4410.7300]
7850.0500	[Renumbered 4410.7400]
7850.0600	[Renumbered 4410.7500]
7850.0700	[Renumbered 4410.7600]
7850.0800	[Renumbered 4410.7700]
7850.0900	[Renumbered 4410.7800]
7850.1000	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1100	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1200	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1300	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1400	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1500	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1600	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1700	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1800	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1900	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.2000	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.2100	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.2200	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.2300	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.2400	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.2500	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.2600	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.2700	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.2800	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.2900	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.3000	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.3100	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.3200	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.3300	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.3400	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.3500	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.3600	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.3700	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.3800	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.3900	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.4000	STANDARDS AND CRITERIA.
7850.4100	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.4200	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.4300	PROHIBITED ROUTES.
7850.4400	PROHIBITED SITES.
7850.4500	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.4600	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.4700	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.4800	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.4900	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.5000	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.5100	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.5200	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.5300	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.5400	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.5500	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.5600	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]

What rules were there before? Check it out — which of these would have no use or purpose in routing and siting utility infrastructure? Which of these are crucial, necessary for reasonable process, necessary to consider important factors and factoids? Rules are how the Commission enacts the statutes!

7850.1000	DEFINITIONS.
7850.1100	PURPOSE AND AUTHORITY.
7850.1200	APPLICABILITY.
7850.1300	PERMIT REQUIREMENT.
7850.1400	SMALL PROJECTS.
7850.1500	EXCEPTIONS TO PERMITTING REQUIREMENT FOR CERTAIN EXISTING FACILITIES.
7850.1600	JOINT PROCEEDING.
7850.1700	PERMIT APPLICATION UNDER FULL PERMITTING PROCESS.
7850.1800	PERMIT FEES.
7850.1900	APPLICATION CONTENTS.
7850.2000	APPLICATION REVIEW.
7850.2100	PROJECT NOTICE.
7850.2200	PUBLIC ADVISOR.
7850.2300	PUBLIC MEETING.
7850.2400	CITIZEN ADVISORY TASK FORCE.
7850.2500	EIS PREPARATION.
7850.2600	CONTESTED CASE HEARING.
7850.2700	FINAL DECISION.
7850.2800	ELIGIBLE PROJECTS.
7850.2900	PERMIT APPLICATION UNDER ALTERNATIVE PROCESS.
7850.3000	PERMIT FEES.
7850.3100	CONTENTS OF APPLICATION.
7850.3200	APPLICATION REVIEW.
7850.3300	PROJECT NOTICE.
7850.3400	PUBLIC ADVISOR.
7850.3500	PUBLIC MEETING.
7850.3600	CITIZEN ADVISORY TASK FORCE.
7850.3700	ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PREPARATION.
7850.3800	PUBLIC HEARING.
7850.3900	FINAL DECISION.
7850.4000	STANDARDS AND CRITERIA.
7850.4100	FACTORS CONSIDERED.
7850.4200	FACTORS EXCLUDED.
7850.4300	PROHIBITED ROUTES.
7850.4400	PROHIBITED SITES.
7850.4500	PERMIT APPLICATION REJECTION.
7850.4600	PERMIT CONDITIONS.
7850.4700	DELAY IN ROUTE OR SITE CONSTRUCTION.
7850.4800	MINOR ALTERATION IN GENERATING PLANT OR TRANSMISSION LINE.
7850.4900	AMENDMENT OF PERMIT CONDITIONS.
7850.5000	PERMIT TRANSFER.
7850.5100	PERMIT REVOCATION OR SUSPENSION.
7850.5200	EMERGENCY PERMIT.
7850.5300	LOCAL REVIEW OF PROPOSED FACILITIES.
7850.5400	ANNUAL PUBLIC HEARING.
7850.5500	ANNUAL ASSESSMENT ON UTILITIES.
7850.5600	PROGRAM ADVISORY TASK FORCE.

So get to work on those comments! Send to: