For decades, the solution to our electric grid’s transmission constraints has been straightforward: build more transmission lines. New transmission infrastructure remains essential, and Fresh Energy has long advocated for building new lines across several venues, but it’s no longer the only answer.
Today, Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs) are an important way to deliver affordable, reliable electricity for Minnesotans and accelerate our state’s progress toward meeting our 100% clean electricity law.
Across the country, electric utilities are demonstrating that GETs can increase transmission capacity, reduce grid congestion costs, and accelerate the connection of new energy resources, often for a fraction of the cost and time required for traditional upgrades. In Minnesota, GETs have become an important part of the affordability conversation thanks in part to the work of Fresh Energy and our partner organizations.
What are Grid Enhancing Technologies?
GETs help us make better use of the electricity infrastructure we already have in order to deliver electricity in a more efficient, affordable way. They improve the performance of existing transmission lines by reducing congestion, increasing capacity, or rerouting electricity from overloaded to uncongested lines. This leads to more efficient operation of the transmission system, which can help us utilize more renewable resources and reduce costs for customers. GETs are a crucial tool for advancing an affordable clean energy transition.
While GETs is an umbrella term that encompasses many different technologies, there are several key types of GETs that are currently commercially available and increasingly widely used:
| Types of Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs) | |
| Dynamic Line Ratings (DLR) | Technologies that monitor real-time data and change transmission line ratings based on local conditions rather than static rating assumptions. This provides congestion relief and allows system operators to safely increase capacity on existing lines. |
| Advanced Power Flow Controls (APFCs) | Small, modular devices that can change the way power flows through transmission lines to reduce congestion and unlock spare capacity. |
| Topology Optimization | Software that identifies lower cost, reliable configurations of the transmission system to reduce operational constraints and alleviate congestion. |
How Grid Enhancing Technologies can support a cleaner electric grid in Minnesota
Minnesota is leading the way on GETs and is one of 18 states that has enacted some form of legislation supporting these technologies.
In 2024, Minnesota passed a law requiring electric utilities and other transmission owners to report progress on integrating GETs into their systems as part of the biennial transmission reporting process. The law requires transmission owners to report on areas of significant congestion, evaluate the technical and economic feasibility of addressing that congestion with GETs, and propose an implementation plan for installing GETs if the project meets cost-effectiveness thresholds set by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission).
These initial reports were published in November 2025 and offer a first glimpse of how GETs are being deployed in Minnesota. The reports highlight some early successes, including a 2024 project from Great River Energy about the DLR technology on 10 of its transmission lines that’s increasing line capacity by 22.5% in the winter and 50.5% in the summer. At the time, this was the largest DLR deployment in the country.
Fresh Energy, Clean Grid Alliance, Sierra Club, and Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy filed joint comments with the Commission recommending additional actions that transmission owners can take ahead of the next reports that will be filed in 2027.
One of our primary recommendations was that transmission owners focus on a programmatic approach to GETs deployment instead of developing them on a project-by-project basis. We also encouraged utilities to consider additional technologies beyond what is named in the statute such as batteries and advanced conductors. The Minnesota Department of Commerce has been a leader in pushing for increased adoption of GETs in Minnesota and made several recommendations that we supported.
In its recent order, the Commission adopted several of these recommendations, recognizing the importance of GETs and setting the stage for continued deployment to benefit ratepayers and our climate.
What’s next?
Minnesota has a robust regulatory process, a forward-looking Commission, electric utilities that are committed to meeting our 100% clean electricity law, and a dedicated group of advocates like Fresh Energy. Together, our state has a favorable environment that supports innovative technologies like GETs that provide affordable, reliable electricity while transitioning our system to be carbon-free.
Fresh Energy and our partners will continue to advocate for GETs in Minnesota’s decision-making venues to ensure our transmission system provides affordable, reliable clean electricity that benefits for every Minnesotan.