PowerOn Midwest transmission study expected in February; 765 kV lines preferred, county told

Randy Fordice of Xcel Energy, speaking for the PowerOn Midwest consortium, told the Murray County Board on Dec. 2 that the group is preparing a study application expected in February 2026 to explore new high-voltage transmission to meet forecasted demand in the region. The project’s preferred configuration is 765 kilovolts, he said, and would require approximately a 250-foot right-of-way where tall trees and permanent structures would be restricted but farming could continue under the lines.

Fordice said the project would begin near Big Stone, South Dakota, continue through Brookings, S.D., and extend to Lakefield, Pleasant Valley, Rochester and Hampton, Minnesota, and that landowners and local governments in the study area must be notified before the application. He estimated roughly 50,000 landowners fall inside the study area.

Under the timeline Fordice described, the state would conduct public hearings in May 2026 and a decision on whether to accept the study is expected in early 2027; the Board was told construction is likely to start around 2030 with energization of the line projected between 2032 and 2034. The presentation noted the need for a route-permit process following the study phase.

The presentation described minimal expected impact on radio and GPS signals and said farmers should generally be able to continue agricultural operations within the right-of-way, though final placement will consider landowner inputs. The Board received the update; no formal action was taken.