Current Status
Several Minnesota energy companies are in the process of proposing to add a new 345 kilovolt (kV) transmission circuit to the existing CapX2020 transmission line between Fargo, ND and Alexandria, MN.
The second circuit on transmission structures will begin near the Bison Substation near Fargo, North Dakota, using a combination of ground-based equipment and helicopters. The work will progress along the existing transmission line route to the Alexandria Substation in Alexandria, Minnesota, with primary work occurring near Fargo, Fergus Falls, and Alexandria.
Second Circuit Installation
Construction is expected to begin in 2028, following review by Minnesota and North Dakota regulators. Please contact us with questions about project status as the regulatory process is just kicking off.
Project Overview
The energy companies that built the CapX2020 Fargo-St. Cloud/Monticello transmission project have proposed a new transmission line that will add new transmission infrastructure to increase reliability, reduce grid congestion, and increase access to new electric generation sources in Minnesota and the Dakotas.
The Fargo-Alexandria project will mainly involve adding a new transmission line on the existing CapX2020 structures from the existing Bison Substation near Fargo, North Dakota to the existing Alexandria Substation near Alexandria, Minnesota.
If the Certificate of Need and amendment to the existing Route Permit are approved, construction could begin in 2028 and be in service by 2032.
Project Need
The region’s electric grid has served customers reliably for more than a century as our energy system has grown and changed. In recent years, utilities have added new electric generation, including renewable energy, such as wind and solar, and retired aging plants. Additional plant retirements and energy generation additions throughout the region require us to build new transmission projects to deliver electricity from where it’s generated to where it’s used and to continue serving customers with the reliable electricity they need to power their homes and businesses.
Additionally, as the system has changed, the existing system is under stress and experiences congestion, which limits the amount of electricity that can reliably be delivered to customers. The Fargo to Alexandria project will help reduce that congestion, providing benefits to customers throughout the Upper Midwest.
Regulatory Process
Minnesota law requires energy companies proposing high-voltage transmission lines to apply for a Certificate of Need and a Route Permit, which are reviewed by the Public Utilities Commission following a public review process. To view the Certificate of Need application (E002,ET2,E015,E017,ET6135/CN-25-116), amendment to the existing Route Permit (No. E0002, ET2/TL-09-1056 Fargo-St. Cloud 345 kV Transmission Project), and other filings in the proceeding:
- Visit https://www.edockets.state.mn.us/documents
- In “Docket #s” type “25-116” (25 stands for the year 2025 when information was first filed)
- Click on the “Search” button
The North Dakota Public Service Commission (NDPSC) will review our plans to add the second circuit as well. Filings to the NDPSC are anticipated in Q1 2026.