Minnesota Power to host transmission line open houses Aug. 6-7

COLERAINE — Minnesota Power will host four open houses on the preliminary route of its Iron Range-St. Louis County-Arrowhead Transmission Project on Wednesday, Aug. 6, and Thursday, Aug. 7.

Members of the public will be able to comment and ask questions about the project and the proposed route for the 63-mile transmission line. The company will use the input to help identify the route that will be submitted to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.

The first open house is from noon to 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the Nyberg Community Center in Coleraine, followed by an open house 5-7 p.m. at the Floodwood Event Center.

Thursday's open houses are 1-3 p.m. at Hermantown City Hall and 5-7 p.m. at Solway Town Hall near Cloquet.

More information, along with an interactive map, can be found on the project's website.

The single-circuit transmission line will run from the company's Iron Range Substation north of Warba to its St. Louis County Substation northwest of Proctor. It will also include a double-circuit connection to the American Transmission Company's Arrowhead Substation.

This project, alongside others, aims to enhance the grid's reliability and efficiency, as well as meet the growing demand for clean energy in the Upper Midwest.

The project is one of 24 approved by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, which operates the central U.S. grid, in December 2024 as part of the second phase of its Long-Range Transmission Planning.

According to Minnesota Power's timeline, permitting and other preparation will take place starting next year before construction begins in 2029. The line will be in service in 2032.