Check this out from KIMT:

Proposed Gopher-Badger Link transmission line faces more opposition in southeastern Minnesota

The NOTICE of hearings and release of Environmental Report for the “PowerOn Midwest” 765 kV transmission project (PUC Docket CN-25-117), has landed… See map above. Attached to the Notice is proof they sent out 31,353 notices in the mail! That’s good, but…

WHERE’S THE

ENVIRONMENTAL REPORT?

Environmental Report has arrived, it’s posted down below.

The PowerOn Midwest project is a part of that HUGE MISO 765 kV transmission project from Big Stone, in South Dakota, across Minnesota to Columbia Wisconsin — MISO LRTP numbers 22, 23, 24, 25 and 26. The PowerOn Midwest part is MISO LRTP numbers 22, 23, 24, 25, and Gopher to Badger is part of MISO LRTP #26.

Here’s the Public Hearing schedule, and there’s a virtual public hearing at 6p on the 16th:

Here’s the full Notice:

Environmental Report!

Notice of the Agenda for the Public Utilities Commission October 22, 2026 meeting has two most interesting items. Briefing papers will be out before the 22nd.

The Xcel Electric Service Agreement is interesting because there’s a request to refer this for a Contested Case and to remove the redactions from filings. YES! How is the public to consider this if we don’t know what’s at issue? Some filings below.

The other is the Site Permit for Lemon Hill Solar, the first solar permit I know of where the ALJ Recommended denial (sort of like Freeborn Wind where we got a recommendation of denial, and then Xcel and the Commission went behind closed doors and changed “guidance” to allow “garbage in-garbage out” noise modeling.) Recommendation below.

Check out the ways that the Lemon Hill Solar project did not meet the siting criteria.

Xcel Energy & Google have applied for a double circuit 345 kV transmission line to hop across Hwy. 52 at 500th from the “North Rochester” substation north of Pine Island to its proposed/planned data center, to the south of 500th with FOUR substations! Yes, that’s the map above.

Pine Island data center transmission

June 2nd, 2026

Today, Xcel Energy and Google (Allen Gleckner, formerly Fresh Energy) filed Responses to Comments in the hearing and docket and their proposed Findings of Fact:

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission’s Order in the PowerOn Midwest docket (CN-25-117) denying the North Route Group and NO765MN’s Motion for Reconsideration is official:

This significantly limits what System Alternatives are evaluated in the Environmental Report. The Order states:

1) Staff may screen alternatives and impacts based on legal availability, relevance to the certificate of need decision, feasibility, availability, sufficiency of information, and ability to meet the stated need. This is consistent with Minnesota Rules 7849.1400 and 7849.0110.

2) MISO determines the “need” and “purpose” of a project…and “the Commission may exclude from analysis any alternative that does not meet the underlying need for or purpose of the project . . .”; Minn. R. 7849.1400; and

3) How can anyone provide “all supporting information” that the PUC deems “sufficient?” Minn. R. 7849.1400, subp. 6, requires an individual proposing an alternative route for study to submit all supporting information they would like the Commission to consider.”

Then again, methinks there are some specifications MISO is requiring that are not covered by these limitations. We shall see…