Great River Energy, wholesale power supplier to BENCO Electric Cooperative, owns the 69-kV transmission line in Mankato and Decoria townships. This line was built in the mid-1940s and due to its age and condition needs to be replaced. Additionally, the Le Sueur River’s changing course, dramatic erosion and significant elevation changes have created serious environmental and maintenance issues creating electric reliability concerns. For these reasons, Great River Energy is proposing to rebuild and reroute portions of this transmission line to ensure the safe reliable delivery of electric power. Once the rerouted portions are constructed, the existing line will be removed.
The rebuild begins at Great River Energy’s Stoney Creek Substation, on 200th Street and Pohl Road, then runs south to 192nd Street. Here the reroute begins, west along 192nd Street to County Highway 8. Then turning south following along County Highway 8 and connecting to BENCO Electric Cooperative’s Decoria Substation. The line then continues east along County Highway 8/179th Street to 586th Avenue reconnecting to Great River Energy’s BE-DM transmission line. The map on the back shows the project area and proposed route.
Transmission line construction will generally use single wood poles 70 to 80-feet above ground, placed 350 to 400-feet apart. Some specialty poles and longer or shorter spans may be required. Directional changes or angles will require guy wires and anchors to stabilize poles. To provide a safe construction, operation and maintenance area, a 70-foot-wide right of way, 35-feet each side of the centerline, will be cleared of trees and vegetation.