Got notice over a week ago that the Public Utilities Commission wants an extension for time to file the Environmental Report for the PowerOn Midwest Certificate of Need (Docket CN-25-117), from September 23 to October 19, an additional 26 days.

OK, no problem. But what that means is that public comment is cut by 26 days!

Extend the public comment period by 26 days too! DOH!

Nope, they don’t want to do that.

WTAF?!?!?!

Scoping for the PowerOn Midwest 765 kV transmission line? What did Commission decide?

FULL DISCLOSURE: I’ve been sick with sinus hacking and wheezing and dripping and brain malfunction. First forgot (YES, FORGOT) and then couldn’t get online, tried and tried. Gave up. Then tried again and no problem, did get on… and it was too late… AAAAAARRRRRRRGH!

September 17, 2026 Agenda Meeting (starts at 3:00:03)

This is what they decided, below, plus Chair Sieben’s Decision Option 3:

Here’s the Sieben Decision Option 3, another “clarification” that makes no logical sense. How does anyone provide “all information” at the very beginning? It’s not the job of Intervenors or the public to dig up and file “all information,” or “sufficient information” — the record is developed in the proceeding, and in the Application the applicants are supposed to consider reasonable alternatives, individual alternatives and combinations of alternatives…

… doesn’t shift the burden of proof? Doesn’t presume need????

Here’s the Staff Briefing Papers, making a recommendation to the Commission:

After seeing how Applicants chose and evaluated “system alternatives,” with such ludicrous presumptions, this:

Gotta keep trying… sigh…

So much transmission, and data centers…

In transmission, “it’s all connected.” Yes, transmission is all connected, and yes, there are data centers (and YES, I need to prettify this… someday!):

BUT careful, the point of the 765 kV is NOT to power data centers — it’s to take the export load off the 345 kV system which is handling both export and all the local load for everything else. Doing that, moving the export up to a 765 kV overlay not only does exactly that, but that 765 kV also provides a lot of additional export capacity, which is what those utilities want. Gotta move that surplus power out in those valleys between the peaks!

With the export power removed, there’s also a lot more capacity to power everything imaginable, including those data centers! For example, above, note there’s that double circuit 345 kV Mankato-Mississippi line going into the “North Rochester” substation, but there’s only one circuit coming out of the substation and then sharing structure with the single circuit CapX 2020! Same with CapX, it’ll now be a double circuit coming down to North Rochester, and remains a single circuit to Wisconsin. And then there’s the Prairie Island-Byron, that ancient single circuit will be upgraded and a 2nd circuit added, so more power there.

This reminds me of geneology, all the charts and graphs and circles and arrows — more than my brain can handle.

p.s. Hermantown may be a whole ‘nother matter!

p.p.s. And there IS this, the letter from Governors, including Walz, of support for Tranche 2.1, which does say:

MISO’s approach in developing a portfolio that seeks to optimize between transmission and generation investments to maintain reliability across MISO’s footprint is even more critical given the potential for long-term local growth from the reshoring of American manufacturing, the growth of electric vehicle adoption, and the recent emergence of data center growth (emphasis added).

Night before last, during a dog & pony show, I’d commented that Xcel’s demand was flat, in response to a claim that we “need” more generation. Later, a man said that he didn’t believe that Xcel’s demand was flat. I noted that I got that from Xcel’s SEC 10-K filings, that I’d been tracking it since 2000, and he kept repeating that he didn’t believe it. What can I say to that??

LOOK IT UP!!!

But actually, I lied!?!?! Xcel’s 2025 demand was DOWN 377 MW from 2024.

Xcel demand… sigh… DOWN AGAIN!

February 25th, 2026

Here are the specifics:

2025’s peak of 8,445 MW is down 1,414 MW from the 2006 peak of 9859!

1,414 MW is more than the capacity of Prairie Island’s two nuclear reactors. That lays bare the rationale for Xcel’s extreme push for export.

Some resources to consider as this transmission routing docket goes forward.

Here’s the draft permit — look for issues not addressed:

And the DNR’s comment – what has been included in the draft permit and what’s missing:

And here’s the application — really need to pick a section of this to review that interests you. There’s something for everyone!