St. Joseph 115-kV Transmission Line and Substation Upgrade

Great River Energy proposes to replace and upgrade 3.2 miles of existing 69-kV transmission line with 115-kV transmission line. Two existing substations along the route will be modified to accommodate the upgrade. Great River Energy has been upgrading the St. Joseph area to a more reliable 115-kV transmission system, and this project will complete the area upgrade and loop the system.

Beginning at Great River Energy’s West St. Cloud Substation, the fence will be expanded to provide space for a new breaker and electrical apparatus. The new 115-kV transmission line will exit this substation and replace the existing 69-kV transmission line. The transmission line runs east along Ridgewood Road to a point where it will cross over to a new switch and tap line into Stearns Electric Association’s Westwood Substation. In this substation, the existing 69-kV transformer will be replaced with a 115-kV transformer. The transmission line will continue east for 1,100 feet, turn north for 1.4 miles to Mullen Road, then west along Mullen Road ending at a new switch pole on the west side of County Highway 133.