Studies and Reports > 2025 Biennial Report > Table of Contents

Transmission Projects Report 2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page numbers are applicable to print and PDF versions of repor

1.0 Executive Summary 1
2.0 Biennial Report Requirements 7
2.1 Generally 7
2.2 Reporting Utilities 9
2.3 Certification Requests 10
2.4 General Impacts 10
2.5 Renewable Energy Standards 12
2.6. Distribution Report/Grid Modernization 12
2.7. Non-Wire Alternatives 13
2.8. FERC, MISO and Commission Actions Related to Distributed Energy Resources and Distribution Planning 17
2.9 MISO and Minnesota's Transmission Needs 21
3.0 Transmission Studies 25
3.1 Introduction 25
3.2 Completed Studies 25
3.3 Regional Studies 26
3.4 Load Serving Studies 27
4.0 Public Participation 30
4.1 Public Involvement in Transmission Planning 30
4.2 MISO Transmission Planning 30
4.3 MTO Website 31
4.4 Efforts to Involve the General Public and Local Officials on Specific Projects 31
5.0 Transmission Planning Zones 34
5.1 Introduction 34
5.2 Northwest Zone  35
5.3 Northeast Zone  36
5.4 West Central Zone 37
5.5 Twin Cities Zone 38
5.6 Southwest Zone 39
5.7 Southeast Zone 40
6.0 Needs 42
6.1 Introduction 42
6.2 The MISO Planning Process 44
6.3 Northwest Zone 47
6.4 Northeast Zone 58
6.5 West Central Zone 116
6.6 Twin Cities Zone  144
6.7 Southwest Zone  171
6.8 Southeast Zone  192
7.0 Transmission-Owning Utilities  215
7.1 Introduction  215
7.2 American Transmission Company, LLC  217
7.3 Central Minnesota Municipal Power Agency 218
7.4 Dairyland Power Cooperative  219
7.5 East River Electric Power Cooperative  220
7.6 Great River Energy  221
7.7 ITC Midwest LLC  222
7.8 L&O Power Cooperative 223
7.9 Minnesota Power  224
7.10 Minnkota Power Cooperative  225
7.11 Missouri River Energy Services  226
7.12 Northern States Power Company  227
7.13 Otter Tail Power Company  228
7.14 Rochester Public Utilities  229
7.15 Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency 230
8.0 Renewable Energy Standards  231
8.1 Introduction  231
8.2 Reporting Utilities  232
8.3 Compliance Summary  232
8.4 Gap Analysis  233
8.5 Base Capacity and RES/REO Forecast  233
8.6 Solar Energy Standard  236
8.7 Carbon-Free Standard 237
8.8 Gap Analysis Summary 238
9.0 Outages & Congestion 240
9.1 Introduction 240
9.2 System Changes and Upcoming Projects Addressing Congestion Relief 240
9.3 Grid North Partners 2023 Near-Term Congestion Study 243
9.4 Grid Enhancing Technologies (GETs) Study Summary 245
9.5 Potential Congestion Based on Future Facility Additions 245
9.6 Nobles County Congestion Analysis 246
10.0 MISO LRTP 248
10.1 Overview 248
10.2 Tranche 1 249
10.3 Tranche 2.1 250
10.4 Future Tranches 252
11.0 Compliance Requirements 253
11.1 Introduction 253
11.2 2024 Order Accepting 2023 Report Compliance 253
11.3 Order Establishing Filing Requirements-Nobles County Substation Docket 253
11.4 Legislative Requirements (2024 Minn. Laws, Ch. 127, Article 42, Section 52 254
11.5 Updated to Responses to PUC Information Requests from May 12, 2023 254
11.6 Congestion Order 263
Appendix A NERC 2024 Long-Term Reliability Assessment-December 2024
Appendix B MN GETs Study Report
Appendix C Nobles Grid-Forming Battery Screening Analysis
Appendix D Xcel Energy Nobles Battery Economic Screening Study 2025