Legalectric

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!

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!

A modest success — the FULL Public Utilities Commission will take up the Environmental Review Scoping Decision issued June 9, 2026, a Consent Order. The FULL Commission is taking it up on July 9!

An Objection must be filed within 10 days for full Commission review:

Staff Briefing Papers will come out some time before the meeting, we’ll see how quickly they’ll dismiss our concerns.

Here’s the Objection filed by North Route Group and NO765MN, under Minn. State. 216A.03, Subd. 8(b) and Minn. R. 7849.1400 with many substantive specifics:

Again, not a big deal, but I hope it will get them to discuss on the record and vote on adequacy of this Scoping Decision for the first 765 kV transmission line to go through Minnesota.

Here it is, North Route Group and NO765MN Objection to Scoping Decision — done and filed ahead of schedule. Then on to Campaign Finance 1001 for tomorrow!

Just released, the environmental review scoping decision for the “PowerOn Midwest” transmission project, PUC docket CN-25-117. This is what will and will not be covered in their environmental review “lite.” Note: “Unless a party, a participant, or a Commissioner files an objection to this decision within ten days of receiving it, it will become the Order of the full Commission under Minn. Stat. § 216A.03,
subd. 8 (b).” Received June 9th — Objections due June 19th! Objections must be SPECIFIC.