Legalectric

Hot off the press, well, yesterday… “PowerOn Midwest‘s” latest filing in the CN-25-117 docket states that “… the Applicants do not oppose Intervenors’ petition to intervene.” Good!

For your reading enjoyment, the CN-25-117 Application, there are also appendices, you can find them at the eDocket:

CN-25-117 -Application_20262-227787-02

Here’s yesterday’s filing:

Unclear? Filed in BOTH dockets, specifically named both dockets in the Petition narrative… Oh, right… OK, whatever…

And of course they do not object to MISO intervening either.

On June 1, there’s the first Prehearing Conference, and we’ll have the schedule pretty much nailed down. Better yet, Discovery will be a happening thing! The applicants have the burden of proof in this Certificate of Need proceeding, and there’s a lot of info that we need, that they need, to show that this specific project is needed.

ONWARD!

Interesting filings today in PUC Docket R-26-172 — how can anyone oppose rulemaking, and how can anyone think it’s reasonable to route transmission and site generation without rules? The Public Utilities Commission is tasked with regulating utilities, and how does one regulate without regulations?

Here’s what has come in today — the deadline is 4:30 but I’ll have to hit the road soon — if others come in I’ll post later. This first one is choice:

The next two, not so much — how convoluted can they get?

And here’s what I had to say, on my behalf, and also clients North Route Group and NO765MN (CN-25-117 and CN-25-121) and the Andersens (CN-25-109), after seeing some of the comments:

Take a good look at what the legislature did to the rules. And those that say “renumbered,” click on those and you’ll see they were moved and repealed as well!

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7850.1000	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1100	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1200	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1300	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]
7850.1400	[Repealed, L 2024 c 126 art 7 s 15; L 2024 c 127 art 43 s 15]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]

Six so far, one roaming around the tent, and five on the back of my neck at hairline. Weird, but at least that makes them easy to find!

Two important filings tossed out, now that’s different… and majorly depressing…

Car still in the shop…

And more transmission open houses — skipped Rochester this morning… on to Zumbrota!

But there’s a lot to be said about an office with a view!

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!!