en.Wedoany.com Reported - Minnkota Power Cooperative recently signed a memorandum of understanding, becoming the eighth utility alliance member of the North Plains Connector transmission project, and intends to secure 150 megawatts of capacity from the project. The North Plains Connector is a 3,000-megawatt high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line with a total investment of $3.2 billion. The non-binding memorandum of understanding was signed between North Plains Connector LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Grid United, and Minnkota, with final agreements subject to successful negotiations.
Minnkota is a non-profit generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota. Mac McLennan, President and CEO of Minnkota Power Cooperative, stated that the project provides an opportunity to strengthen the regional grid, support long-term energy reliability and flexibility, establish another transmission connection near power generation resources, expand electricity market opportunities, and enhance the ability to serve members with reliable and affordable electricity. He emphasized that the line will create another pathway for delivering power resources from the west to the system, enabling Minnkota to more flexibly transport electricity where it is needed and respond to evolving energy demands.
Upon completion, the North Plains Connector will become the first HVDC transmission line in the United States to connect three regional electricity energy markets: the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), the Western Interconnection, and the Southwest Power Pool. Colleen Nash, Project Lead for the North Plains Connector HVDC transmission project, stated that the project's momentum reflects the commitment of regional utility companies to expand grid capacity and serve customers in the most efficient and cost-effective manner, and welcomed Minnkota to the utility alliance as the second utility company headquartered in North Dakota serving the MISO electricity market.
The North Plains Connector is expected to begin construction in 2028 and become operational in 2032. Grid United and ALLETE are the co-developers of the North Plains Connector. Other members of the utility alliance that have signed capacity memorandums of understanding include: Avista, BHE U.S. Transmission, MDU Resources, NorthWestern Energy, Portland General Electric, and Puget Sound Energy. In December 2024, NorthWestern Energy signed a memorandum of understanding to own 10% (300 MW) of the North Plains Connector's capacity; the previous week, Puget Sound Energy (PSE) signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding for 750 MW. In May 2024, Portland General Electric (PGE) signed a memorandum of understanding, expecting a 20% ownership share and securing 600 MW of transmission capacity; in November 2024, Avista Corporation signed a memorandum to secure 300 MW of capacity; BHE U.S. Transmission signed a memorandum in January 2025 to own 10% (300 MW) of the capacity; MDU Resources signed a memorandum in late 2025 to secure 150 MW of capacity.
According to documents prepared by Grid United for its stakeholder meetings, the company initiated preliminary work on the project in the summer of 2021, studying constraints such as biology, land use, existing infrastructure, and archaeological or cultural sites. In 2023, Grid United announced it would partner with ALLETE.
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