(Pierre, S.D.)– The South Dakota Public Utilities Commission has cleared the way for construction of 10 miles of a large electrical transmission line that’ll run 86 miles from Brandon, South Dakota to Lakefield, Minnesota.
An Xcel Energy official says it needs the line so it can comply with Minnesota regulations that require the utility company to provide about five thousand megawatts of wind power by 2020.
The new transmission line will boost Xcel’s present capacity to deliver wind power from the present 425 megawatts to 825 megawatts.
The power line will be built along Interstate 90.
Although construction of 10 miles of the line in South Dakota was approved the by that state’s Public Utilities Commission, the officials say they’re frustrated with resistance to extension of transmission lines in Minnesota that would accomodate development of more wind power in South Dakota.
(Story from the Associated Press.).
