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ALESS-CHARGE <br />inging power to the people will involve <br />months of debate, years of construction and billions <br />of dollars as 11 utilities push for the first major <br />electrical transmission upgrade in a generation. <br />By MIKE MEYEKS • meyers~c~startribune.com <br />The last time new high-voltage electrical lines were strung across <br />Minnesota, protesters slathered state troopers with ammonia fertiliz- <br />er, covered themselves with pig manure, armed themselves with base- <br />ball bats and lined up to be arrested. <br />In 1978, angry residents near Lowry and Sauk Centre went so far as <br />to topple L5 transmission towers. The power lines were raised, despite <br />the objections from naysayers, including athen-obscure Carleton Col- <br />legeprofessor named Paul Wel.lstone. <br />Xcel Energy Inc. and 10 other utility companies are setting the stage <br />this week for what they hope will be a milder public reaction to the first <br />major power transmission project in Minnesota in more than 25 years. <br />The consortium of utilities is mailing 73,000 letters to landowners <br />that outline a proposal to crisscross Minnesota with about 650 Holes of <br />new high-voltage transmission lines. The $1.3 billion to $1.6 billion proj- <br />ect, set to be completed in 2014, is the first of a number of transmission <br />expansions that will cost billions more in the years ahead. The state will <br />hold hearings to vet questions and objections. <br />Pr continues: Opponents are expected to be calmer this time. D5 - <br />_. _ ,~ <br />St. Cloud <br />razes -1 .. <br />BronUings, ~ ~ Monticello <br />S.r <br />-_ • I <br />FILLING IN THE GAPS <br />Xcel Energy will be sending letters <br />to about 73,000 landowners this <br />week outlining plans for the first <br />major addition ofhigh-power <br />transmission lines since the <br />197os. The map shows the area <br />covered by those letters, which <br />represents the bulk of the project. <br />~."` <br />_ ~~ <br />~ <br />„ <br />~ <br />,t <br />~~;,. <br />j;;' Proposed project <br /> corridors <br />ri <br /> <br />35 ~ <br />~° <br />~~`~ <br /> <br />f Existing power Lines <br />~~ <br />g~ with 230 kilovolts <br />~' or greater capacity <br />~y ~ <br />°--r. ~~ <br />~~`',`" Hampton 50 MILES <br />,_, ~, ~ <br />' Rochester , <br />Mazshall r ~. ~ <br />','~- _ ~ La Crosse, <br />~~- ~ V11is. <br />s' 1 <br />>eurce: X.cel, CapX ?_020.. Minnesota Public Utilities Commission <br />