PSC Holds Hearing On Basin Application
The ND Public Service Commission held one of their scheduled hearings on an application by Basin Electric Power Cooperative for a certificate of corridor compatibility and route permit for a 162 mile 345kV electrical transmission that would originate at the Leland Olds Station located near Stanton and terminate at the Tande substation near Tioga. The route will go through Mercer, McLean, Ward, Mountrail and Williams County.
Specifically the commission was looking at if the construction, operation, and maintenance of the facility at the proposed location produces minimal adverse effects on the environment and on the welfare of the citizens of North Dakota; if the facility is compatible with the environmental preservation and the efficient use of resources; and if the construction, operation and maintenance of the facility at the proposed location minimizes adverse human and environmental impact while ensuring continuing system reliability and integrity and ensuring that energy needs are met and fulfilled in an orderly and timely fashion.
Similar hearings had already been held in Underwood to take testimony and hear public input.
After each of the commissioners had discussed the process of the hearing, they admitted two new exhibits.
First to testify was Bobby Nasset, civil engineering supervisor for Basin Electric and project manager. He covered the project plans which will start near Stanton at the Leland Olds Station. It will need to cross the Missouri River. New lines will travel to the existing Tande Station near Tioga to complete the loop of 345kV transmission. There will be a new terminal built at the Tande Station. A new substation, Crane Creek, will also be built in Mountrail County. He discussed the various structures that will be built, also with the route selection.
Construction is hoped to start on the project, if approved, in spring or early summer with completion slated for November of 2026. The project has an estimated $360 million cost.
As for route selection, they had their start and end points and knew they were adding a new substation in Mountrail County interconnecting with Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative to meet their current and future needs. They evaluated over 700 miles as part of the routing process over two and one-half years. They worked to comply with avoidance and exclusion areas, to minimize impact to cultivated and crop areas, identified recreational areas, looked at oil and gas and other transmission lines, and worked with landowners as much as possible.
He said that prior to the route selection they had used parcel databases to mail project brochures and requested survey permission. It started with 665 letters with more than 1000 sent by the time it was done. They held open house meetings and received feedback from landowners.
With 269 landowners impacted, 256 have signed easements as of now. They have secured 151 miles of the 156 miles needed. Some of the miles needed are on ND Trust Lands, which they have received notifications on since the filing. He said they have looked to economize costs as well as have the lines as short and straight as possible.
He went on to discuss the structure design and line types. He discussed the construction phases and reclamation plans.
In response to questions, he said that they have completed all the biological surveys with 97% of the archaeological surveys complete.