Otter Tail Power and Missouri River Energy Services have been working to put together a new transmission line that connects OTP’s substation in Big Stone City, So. Dak. to MRES’ substation in Alexandria, Minn.  But constructing such a project is not something that can be done with out public information meetings, input and more.  Much of Pope County is located within the proposed corridor.  

According to the website bigstonesouthtoalexandria.com, the website that contains the project’s information, though the endpoints are known, identifying potential routes between them involves desktop and field studies, engineering and environmental analyses and public input. Cost, community impacts, stakeholder feedback, constructability, future needs and several other things are factors.

The companies have been working with landowners, communities and local government officials to identify some potential routes and file route permits with the appropriate regulatory agencies. The new line is tentatively scheduled for completion in either 2030 or 2031.

There are several steps to the process of construction. Step one is data gathering. Step 2, the current step, involves public engagement, routing, preliminary surveys, preliminary right of way and preliminary engineering. The next step is to file route application and environmental permits. Following steps include right of way, surveys, route application decisions and final engineering. 

Benefits of the project include reducing transmission congestion, ensuring electric reliability, increased resilience to extreme weather and increased access to reliable energy. 

A third series of public open houses will be held in early 2024 to provide opportunities for additional feedback on the route corridor and then a proposed route will be submitted to the Public Utilities Commission. The PUC will review and hold a public hearing before making a decision on the route permit. 

More information about the project and a place for public comment is available on the website associated with the project at bigstonesouthtoalexandria.com. The Pope County Tribune will cover future public events and those events will be listed on the project’s website as well as any changes to the projected route.