PowerOn Midwest shares information on proposed projects at open house

A proposed series of new electric transmission projects was the subject of an open house Thursday morning at the Worthington Event Center.

PowerOn Midwest's projects would be anchored by a 765kv backbone transmission line being developed by Great River Energy, ITC Midwest, Otter Tail Power Company and Xcel Energy. The projects would connect eastern South Dakota, southern Minnesota and the broader region to meet energy needs.

The open house featured multiple displays that explained the projects and provided detailed maps that included potential locations for the line. Many attending the open house took the opportunity to view close-ups on computer monitors that offered even further details on properties' proximity to where a line could possibly be. It was stressed by representatives affiliated with PowerOn Midwest that the projects are early in the developmental process.

Routing open houses for the projects are continuing through Aug. 14. Opportunities for a virtual tour through poweronmidwest.com/virtual-open-house will remain, with routing comments due by Aug. 28. A routing analysis progress update is slated to be presented in mid-September.

Before construction could begin, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission must issue both a Certificate of Need, which determines whether the projects are necessary and appropriately sized, and Route Permits that identify where the projects should be located. All information and public input gathered throughout the PowerOn Midwest route development process will be used to develop a proposed route to be submitted to Minnesota and South Dakota Public Utility Commissions in early 2027.

Another open house is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday in the Jackson County Central High School gym.