Arrowhead/Weston Transmission Line

Where - Near Duluth, Minnesota to Central Wisconsin near Wausau
Who wants it - Allete - Minnesota Power - WI Public Service Corporation - American Transmission Company
Status - Ongoing - regulatory review started November 1999, MN regulators have approved the 12-mile portion in Minnesota. The Duluth City Council granted a special use permit for the Minnesota section of the line in October 2001. On August 17, 2001 WI regulators initially approved the line. Appeals ongoing in Wisconsin. In November 2002, utilities announced that the cost of the line has doubled over initial estimates. In April 2003, WI regulators reopened the proceeding because of the significant increase in costs and will do an independent cost evaluation. In December 2003, the WI PSC approved the line with the new cost estimates.

Regulatory Information

Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the proposed crossing of the Namekagon River by the Arrowhead-Weston Transmission Line Project - issued by the National Park Service, December 15, 2004

Minnesota Environmental Quality Board - authority over 12 mile portion in MN.

Findings of Fact, Conclusions and Order Granting Exemption (Dockete No. MP-HVTL-EA-1-99) - issued by the EQB, March 15, 2001

MN Public Utilities Commission

Order Dismissing Complaint and Requiring Future Filing - In the Matter of the Complaint of NAWO and SOUL Against Minnesota Power Regarding the Arrowhead Transmission Line Project, issued by the MN PUC, September 24, 2004

MN PUC Staff Briefing Papers - In the Matter of the Complaint of NAWO and SOUL against Minnesota Power Regarding the Arrowhead Transmission Line Project, prepared for PUC Meeting, September 9, 2004

ME3, SOUL, NAWO, WOLF, Friends of Boundary Waters and Attorney General File Comments on Arrowhead-Weston Line Complaint - July 15, 2004

Complaint against MN Power - filed at the MN PUC by North American Water Office (NAWO) and Save Our Unique Lands (SOUL), in the matter of the Arrowhead-Weston Transmission Line, June 3, 2004

Selected News and Other Information

Related Information

Transmission line upgrades for wind generation move forward - Xcel Energy Release, September 16, 2004

Utility Presentations - from meeting in SW Minnesota on transmission line issues, June 10, 2003

Utilities' Information

Electric Transmission Planning in the State of Minnesota - web site by a consortium of MN electric utilities

Federal Government and Other Resources

Agencies and Reports

RTO-ISO Handbook - comparing policies of the regional transmission organizations in the U.S. - Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), ongoing updates

RTO Map - from FERC

DOE's National Interest Electric Transmission Bottlenecks (NIETB) Program - soliciting public comments on transmission projects and problem areas

State of Minnesota information

MN Transmission Line Projects Under Review (current and past) - tracking by the MN EQB

Rules Governing Transmission Line Projects - by the MN EQB

Reliability & Transmission Organizations

North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC)