Minnesota Power Planning Modernization Project to HVDC Line

HERMANTOWN, Minn. —  On Wednesday, federal and state partners gathered to recognize Minnesota Power’s plans to upgrade its transmission system.

Minnesota Power, a utility division of ALLETE, is planning a modernization project to its high-voltage-direct-current transmission system.

The HVDC line runs from North Dakota to Duluth and transfers energy to customers in Northeastern Minnesota. The project looks to upgrade and expand the line, which has been running for nearly 50 years.

“With new technology, it can be more efficient, which means doubling the capacity of this line so it can serve more customers, more customer load,” said Josh Skelton, ALLETE Vice President, Chief Operating Officer at Minnesota Power. “It can come across the same wire that stretches 460 miles. It also helps in resiliency, the technology can flow in both directions.”

The project is a part of Minnesota Powers’ effort to provide carbon-free energy sources.

“This utility up here already works at extraordinarily high reliability. The idea is to be able to do this, decarbonize this system while keeping electricity rates here affordable while keeping electricity as reliable as it’s been here historically,” said David Crane, Under Secretary for Infrastructure, United States Department of Energy.

A portion of the funding for the project has been approved and additional approvals are pending.