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Residents press county officials after NextEra, Xcel present proposed transmission lines through Deuel County
Summary
At the Jan. 20 Deuel County commission meeting, NextEra Energy and regional utilities outlined proposed transmission projects — including a 765 kV regional line and a 365 tap — prompting public concern over routing, easements and local impacts. Commissioners sought more information and declined to take permit action.
Deuel County commissioners on Jan. 20 heard detailed presentations from NextEra Energy, Xcel Energy and Otter Tail Power about proposed transmission projects that would cross parts of the county and connect to existing regional infrastructure.
Company representatives said one proposal would tap an existing small “365” line south of Big Stone and could run roughly 3 miles across three-to-five landowners, while a larger regional plan described by Xcel and Otter Tail would use 765 kV structures roughly 150–175 feet tall, 140–150 feet wide, and require a 250‑foot right‑of‑way. The utilities presented a multi-year schedule that would include route development, landowner easement negotiations in 2026–27, regulatory permitting and construction with an anticipated in‑service date around 2034.
The presentat…
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