Correction: The original story identified Xcel’s vice president of transmission as Sandra Long, instead of Sandra Johnson.
(KNSI) – Xcel Energy is only a year away from construction on a highly anticipated transmission line.
The Minnesota Energy Connection will bring 4,000 megawatts, enough to power a million homes, to a hub located at the site of the Sherco facility in Sherburne County. It snakes 175 miles from southwest Minnesota, bringing renewable energy that will help to partially offset the closure of coal-fired generators in Becker. Most of the power created in southwest Minnesota is from wind, but solar energy is also produced there. Xcel has also recently gotten approval for a new natural gas plant in Lyon County, which can always provide consistent base power.
Senior Vice President of Transmission Sandra Johnson reminds customers that an improved grid means success at the individual level. “This new transmission line will allow our customers to further tap into our local energy resources to power their homes and expand their businesses, helping them meet their own goals.”
Xcel engineers are beginning to design the pipeline now that the final route is clearer. The utility is entering the final stage of negotiations with landowners to buy easements to pave the way for construction in spring 2026. The project should be complete in 2028.
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