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Northland Reliability Project

Northland Reliability Project

Approved Route

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Project components

The project consists of two major segments and some additional project improvements:

Segment one: New double circuit 345-kV line

Build about 140 miles of new 345-kV double-circuit transmission lines, generally located near existing transmission line corridors, from Minnesota Power’s Iron Range Substation in Itasca County to Great River Energy’s Benton County Substation in Benton County near St. Cloud.

Segment two: Replace two existing transmission lines

  • Replace an approximately 20-mile 230-kV line with two 345-kV circuits from Benton County Substation to a new substation named Big Oaks Substation in Sherburne County along existing transmission corridors on double circuit 345-kV structures. The Big Oaks Substation will be built as part of a separate project called Alexandria to Big Oaks.
  • Replace an approximately 20-mile 345-kV line from the Benton County Substation to the Sherco Substation in Sherburne County along existing transmission corridors using double-circuit 345-kV structures.

Additional project improvements

  • Expand the existing Iron Range Substation near Grand Rapids and the Benton County Substation near St. Cloud.
  • Install a new substation at or near the existing Riverton Substation and reconfigure existing transmission lines in the Riverton area.
Study area map
Click on the image to enlarge

PUC approved route

On February 28, 2025, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved the Certificate of Need and Route Permit for the Northland Reliability Project. View the PUC Order. We want to thank landowners and area residents for your engagement throughout the years-long process before we landed on the approved route. Your participation in the process made this project possible.

Click or tap on the boxes in the map to view a detailed map of the PUC approved route.


How we got to a PUC proposed route?

We followed a multi-phased routing process. The state of Minnesota has statues and rules that guide the route development process and help minimize a project’s impact to human settlement and the environment. Input from you, local leaders and agencies, as well as our technical experience and requirements, was critical in the development of the route we proposed in our application.

Click images to enlarge

Study area
(fall 2022)

Stakeholder workshops

Study area from fall 2022

Route corridor
(January 2023)

Phase 1 of public engagement

Study area from January 2023

Preliminary route
(May 2023)

Phase 2 of public engagement

Study area from May 2023

Proposed route
(August 2023)

Filed with the PUC

Study area from August 2023