A few days ago, an odd filing hit the inbox, Minutes from the May 28, 2026 Public Utilities Commission meeting, about 5 months after the meeting!

Here’s what’s interesting. Remember the Biennial Transmission Plan, instituted before CapX 2020 erupted, with the intent of requiring transmission plans to be publicly disclosed. Minn. Stat. 216B.2425! This was part of the legislative changes in 2001, what a year that was.

Here’s what’s supposed to be in it:

7848.1300 CONTENT OF BIENNIAL TRANSMISSION PROJECTS REPORT.

Over the years, it’s been neglected, and at that May 28, 2026 Commission meeting, Commissioner Hwikwon Ham got some necessary updates through. The first bunch was a round of changes to keep up with the lack of excitement and participation (!), to put it mildly. What changed?

That’s the easy part. What followed was an extensive list for utilities to add to reports from here on in, including info on transmission “alternatives,” increase in transparency – reduction of secrecy, and costs & cost/benefit:

Now that’s interesting. But does that mean diving into that (&%#($%& Biennial Transmission Plan again?

Here’s the full meeting minutes as eFiled:

MISO thinks they can propose something like PowerOn Midwest, this obscenity, 765 kV transmission roaring border to border across Minnesota, part of Tranche 2.1 transmission (MTEP24.zip), and then not show up to the public hearings and face the people, the cities, the townships, and the counties it wants to steamroll? I don’t think so.

Just filed on behalf of North Route Group and NO765MN:

Check this out from KIMT:

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

UPDATED 10/20/2026 &10/21/2026 & 10/23/2026

Here are the Resolutions filed thus far by Counties and Townships affected by PowerOn Midwest 765kV transmission (PUC Docket CN-25-117) through their communities. Some are forms, fill in the blank even, and I’m hoping that there will be more individual ones filed — individually drafted filings have greater weight, greater impact.

Cities:

Counties:

Townships:

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!

Name	Additional Info	Document Date
POM_ER.pdf (27MB)	PowerOn Midwest Environmental Report	10/19/2026
AppendixA_ProjectMaps – Part 1 of 4.pdf (23MB)	PowerOn Midwest Environmental Report – Appendix A: Maps – Part 1 of 4	10/19/2026
AppendixA_ProjectMaps – Part 2 of 4.pdf (22MB)	PowerOn Midwest Environmental Report – Appendix A: Maps – Part 2 of 4	10/19/2026
AppendixA_ProjectMaps – Part 3 of 4.pdf (22MB)	PowerOn Midwest Environmental Report – Appendix A: Maps – Part 3 of 4	10/19/2026
AppendixA_ProjectMaps – Part 4 of 4.pdf (15MB)	PowerOn Midwest Environmental Report – Appendix A: Maps – Part 4 of 4	10/19/2026
AppendixB_ScopingDecision.pdf (618KB)	PowerOn Midwest Environmental Report – Appendix B: Scoping Decision	10/19/2026
AppendixC_SampleHVTLPermit.pdf (720KB)	PowerOn Midwest Environmental Report – Appendix C: Sample HVTL Permit	10/19/2026
AppendixD-1_ApplicantsScopingComments.pdf (563KB)	PowerOn Midwest Environmental Report – Appendix D-1: Applicants Scoping Comments	10/19/2026
AppendixD-2_ApplicantsVisualSimulations.pdf (23MB)	PowerOn Midwest Environmental Report – Appendix D-2: Visual Simulations	10/19/2026
AppendixD-3_ApplicantsDirectTestimony.pdf (5MB)	PowerOn Midwest Environmental Report – Appendix D-3: Highway Co-Location Direct Testimony	10/19/2026
AppendixE_EMFReview.pdf (418KB)	PowerOn Midwest Environmental Report – Appendix E: EMF Review	10/19/2026