The Alley on the Hiawatha Transmission Project
January 17th, 2009
The Alley, the Phillips neighborhood newspaper, has a few articles that you should check out:
Eric Hart is a resident of Longfellow Community and a Midtown Greenway Coalition board member.
Open House – Xcel’s Hiawatha Project
January 17th, 2009
Thursday afternoon and again in the evening, Xcel held an Open House for its proposed “Hiawatha Project,” transmission through Phillips.
What I learned:
From Pam Rasmussen: Conductor specs — 795 ACSS DOUBLE CIRCUIT and NOT bundled. But there’s not much impact on the capacity, it’s essentially the same. Here’s the conductor spec chart, where you can look up 795kCmil on the left and then go over to the right to 115kV — remember this is for 1 circuit, so for 2, double it — this is from the SW MN 345kV case:
From Dave Callahan: The area on Hiawatha where they’re looking at sticking a substation is North of Lake, on the East side of Hiawatha, where the northwest end of that Target complex abuts another group of buildings on Minnehaha backing up to Hiawatha. There’s no road access, and there’s been talk of extending the Midtown Greenway from a bit north through this area towards Lake Street. It sounded like Xcel had already had discussions of how to put a substation there and leave room for the Greenway expansion. As there’s no road, the easiest way I see to get there is to start at Cedar and head east on Hiawatha, tromp on it to get some lift and do an Evil Kinevil over Hiawatha and land there… otherwise, try walking from Minnehaha. It’s just to the right of the “A” below:
Recently, Xcel had announced that its preferred route is along the Midtown Greenway. In looking at routes, and digging through my files, I’d discovered the Metro Load Serving Study from 2001. That study says, about plans for South Minneapolis: Oh my, LOTS about South Minneapolis, I’m going to have to do a whole separate post on that. Manana…
At the July 24, 2008, NM-SPG meeting, there was this presentation, per the minutes:
7.1.4. South Minneapolis
Mr. Standing, XCEL, presented the South Minneapolis Electric Reliability Project (SMERP) study. Mr. Standing stated 4 options were studied. The preferred option includes a new 345 kV line in-service in approximately 2013-2020 from the New Hwy 280 345/115 kV substation to the New Hiawatha substation.
And from the 2007 Biennial Transmission Plan, we have this snippet that gives us a peek at their plans:
That section of the 2007 Biennial Transmission Plan is just too big. CLICK HERE and click on section 7.5 and scroll down to the 3rd and 4th to the last pages.
In that section of the 2007 Transmission Plan, it describes a “need” in South Minneapolis:
Are you paying attention? The “inadequacy” is in the 12.4kV distribution system. Or the “inadequacy” IS the 12.4kV distribution system. Also note that they are forecasting a load growth of 100MW over the next 10 years. Don’t forget these points.
When you take the plans that are out there for the taking, and sketch them out, here’s what it looks like (this is old news, but once more with feeling):
Xcel, when you’ve got an inadequacy with your 12.4kV distribution system, and power quality issues at some of the big electric users, why would you think that this big linked addition of transmission is the answer. How about trying a distribution upgrade — isn’t it long overdue? And underground that distribution while you’re at it!
Xcel’s Hiawatha Transmission Project Open House TODAY
January 15th, 2009
Xcel announced yesterday that its preferred route for the “Hiawatha Project” is on the rim of the Midtown Greenway.
Today Xcel is holding two open houses on its “Hiawatha Project” and that’s one way to find out what Xcel is planning — but what they’re stating as the “project” is only a small part of what’s planned for South Minneapolis.
Xcel Open Houses
Plaza Verde
1516 E. Lake St., Minneapolis
12- 2 p.m. & 5-7 p.m.
Here’s the rest of the story, what I’ve learned of Xcel’s plans from public information — here’s what it will look like, with routing variations, but at least part of their intent:
(can’t get the map right… grrrrrrrrr)
High-voltage line proposed along Midtown Greenway
By STEVE BRANDT, Star Tribune
January 14, 2009
Xcel Energy is proposing to route a high-voltage power line along the border of the Midtown Greenway, crossing the recreational corridor four times, and is seeking public reaction to the plan today.
The proposal to beef up Xcel’s transmission capacity in the Lake Street corridor has kicked up concerns among those who question the need for the line and worry about possible health effects and the visual impact.
But the utility said it needs to offer more reliable service in the area, which has redeveloped with denser housing and with once-vacant businesses now occupied.
Xcel is proposing an aerial line, which is cheaper but runs counter to the sentiment of area council members that the line should be buried. They prefer a route under E. 28th Street if the line goes ahead.
Betty Mirzayi, Xcel’s transmission project manager, said Xcel chose the route largely following the Greenway’s south rim because it’s a more direct route that would be cheaper to build. Xcel also looked at overhead routes along E. 26th, 28th and 31st streets for the east-west extension from its existing Hiawatha Avenue transmission line into the redeveloping Midtown area. But those routes would run closer to more houses, partially block sidewalks with poles and require removal or pruning of more trees, she said.
Mirzayi said Xcel also evaluated an underground alternative for the Greenway route. She said that the $15 million project includes $2 million for installing overhead lines. Burying the line along the Greenway corridor would cost $15.8 million more, a cost Xcel said would be borne by ratepayers.
But Council Member Robert Lilligren said he is concerned that an overhead Greenway line would discourage redevelopment, the reason that the city and county invested in the Greenway.
Xcel proposes to locate a new substation on the east side of Hiawatha at 28th Street, adjoining its current transmission line. A prime attraction of that site, now owned by the state and a railroad, is that it is away from homes and offers room for expansion, Mirzayi said. Xcel proposes to expand an old unused substation on Oakland Avenue S., purchasing an adjacent condemned triplex and a vacant lot.
The Midtown Greenway Coalition, an advocacy group with membership from neighborhoods bordering the bike-pedestrian corridor, has opposed the project for now. It said it would reassess that position if alternatives for improving the area’s power supply prove inadequate and there is adequate buffering of the line. Tim Springer, the coalition’s director, said the proposed routing makes finding alternatives such as conservation or load management even more important.
Mirzayi said the Greenway rim route leaves adequate room in the former rail trench owned by Hennepin County for the potential development of trolley or light-rail transit.
The company has delayed its project timetable somewhat, pushing back its application to the state for the project from this month to later this winter. It now hopes to begin using the line and two accompanying substations in the first half of 2011.
Xcel’s Hiawatha Project sent to Committee
January 10th, 2009
Well this is interesting… to put it mildly… Xcel’s Hiawatha Project, transmission through Phillips, is in the news.
A move to “delay its application… until it provides a more thorough analysis of the need an alternatives” and that if line is “needed,” to bury it under 28th Street is deemed “trying to get the council to adopt a position without public hearings or notice?”
Hmmmmmmmmmmm…
Now Xcel claims the need for the Hiawatha Project is based on the “South Minneapolis Load Service Study,” but cannot or will not produce a copy of that study. They say it is not completed yet… Oh, and so you’re wanting this line for what????
And then I find that there’s also a “South Minneapolis Electric Reliability Project” where they want to run a 345kV line from Hwy. 280 to the new Hiawatha Project substation.
As discussed, but not quite yet formally proposed, Xcel’s Hiawatha Project would have a substation somewhere near 28th & Hiawatha, and the line would go east through Prestigious East Phillips to near the old Honeywell site near 35W.
Don’t forget, there are three meetings coming up, one held by the community, and two others by Xcel:
Community Forum on Xcel’s Hiawatha Project
Sponsored by the Phillips Community Energy Cooperative, the Greenway Coalition, and others
Monday, January 12, 2009
At Plaza Verde
1516 East Lake Street
6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
… and an Open House, another opportunity to dig into this project and find out what’s really going on:
Xcel Energy’s Public Open House on the Hiawatha Project
Thursday, January 15, 2009
At Plaza Verde, 1516 East Lake Street
Noon to 2:00 p.m.
and 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Search this site for “Hiawatha Project” for background information.
Minneapolis council diverts power-line issue
“We have a responsibility outside an empty room,” Council Member Lisa Goodman said.