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CapX 2020 transmission lines -page 2 of 3 <br />Great River Energy filed a proposed public notice plan for the CapX <br />Brookings, S.D.-southeast Twin Cities transmission line with the Minnesota <br />commission today. Xcel Energy plans to file similar notice plans for the <br />CapX Twin Cities-Rochester-La Crosse line and the CapX Fargo-St. <br />Cloud/Monticello area line in the next few weeks. <br />While Great River Energy and Xcel Energy are taking the lead on the <br />three 345-kilovolt lines, other utilities also will be involved in permitting, <br />building and financing them. A fourth line - a 230-kilovolt, 70-mile line in <br />the Bemidji area of north central Minnesota -also is among the CapX 2020 <br />Group 1 projects. <br />The first four projects represent a combined investment of approximately <br />$1.3 billion. Xcel Energy, Great River Energy and Otter Tail Power <br />Company are committed to financing a majority of the cost. The balance <br />will be covered by other project participants in various amounts. Group 2 <br />and Group 3 project phases are planned through 2020. <br />"These transmission capacity upgrades are needed to deliver new <br />electricity generation to support economic, job and population growth in the <br />future," Grove said. "Additionally, key sections of the proposed lines are <br />needed to deliver the rapidly expanding wind energy from this region to our <br />customers." <br />The utilities expect to file a single request for a Certificate of Need for the <br />three 345-kilovolt lines and associated system interconnections with the <br />Minnesota commission late this year. Following a rigorous public process, <br />the commission is expected to decide on the need for the lines sometime in <br />2008. If the commission certifies need, it then will determine routes for the <br />new lines in subsequent separate proceedings. As soon as routing decisions <br />are complete in 2009 or 2010, construction will get under way, and the lines <br />are expected to be completed three or four years later. <br />"We are just beginning a lengthy journey and are committed to working <br />with landowners, local officials and other interested parties at every step of <br />the process," said Laura McCarten of Xcel Energy, a co-leader of the CapX <br />2020 effort. "Anyone interested is invited to comment on our notice plans." <br />www.capx2020.com <br />