Note the changes, fewer route options proposed on the poweronmidwest.com page, the “I-90” route has been eliminated, apparently. However, they can return, and other options can be added as well, it’s not over until it’s over.

Here’s the North Route Group and NO765MN Motion for Reconsideration of the amended Scoping Decision:

What happened? Well, on July 9, 2026, the Public Utilities Commission took up Objections to the Scoping Decision – info and video of the meeting here, it’s worth a look:

“SUFFICIENT INFORMATION” at this time?

Then, the written order came out, July 15, 2026:

The problematic part is in yellow, problematic because it shifts timing of production to NOW, before there’s a record (other than miscellaneous comments filed), before the contested case. This means that system alternatives can be rejected NOW, before we even get to the contested case, before they’re evaluated in the Environmental Report, AND, if not in the Environmental Report, system alternatives won’t be considered by the Commission. Well, we could try for a Supplement to the Environmental Report, but good luck with that! System alternatives need to be added to the mix NOW!

The Applicants have some time to respond to our Motion, and then it’ll be taken up by the Commission, it’ll take at least 3-4 weeks, what with a response, notice, etc.

ONWARD!

PUC AGENDA MEETING

Thursday, August 6

#3 on agenda, meeting starts at 10 a.m.

3rd Floor Large Hearing Room

121 – 7th Place East, St. Paul

If you didn’t get notice, if you’ve made comments, if you want to know what’s going on, make sure you are on the PUC’s notice list:

Full Meeting Notice — instructions for virtual here:

Here’s what they’re deciding on:

Briefing papers are out already, posted even before the meeting notice! READ THIS:

Talon Mine has been brewing for a LONG time, and now we’re moving into a time in the Department of Natural Resources’ process when we can weigh in:

DNR NOTICE OF COMMENT PERIOD AND SCOPING DECISION

Comments must be made to the Responsible Governmental Unit (RGU) and received by 4:30 p.m., Monday, Sept. 14, 2026.

There are two formal in-person comment opportunities (why Blaine?):

And the documents – plenty of homework to do:

Transmission — it’s all connected, and it never ends.

I’d received a pile of documents from the Minnesota Department of Transportation in response to a Data Practices Act Request from a while ago related to PowerOn Midwest, but the email disappeared — I’d had a HUGE chunk of my inbox vanish recently (thankfully I file or delete most of everything, not too much disappeared). Got it back a couple days ago and am going through it, THANK YOU, DOT!

Here’s the request:

Since CapX 2020, even before, the DOT’s Policy of Accommodation has been a factor in the routing of transmission.

I’ll be posting the documents little by little here. The internet is forever, so they’ll never vanish!