08.18.14

Hoeven: Minnkota's New Transmission Line Will Help Power Future of Growing Red River Valley

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today joined Minnkota Power Cooperative to mark the completion of its $353 million dollar 345-kilovolt transmission line. The project is the largest transmission project in the state’s history and will help to supply the Red River Valley with reliable power.

“Minnkota’s new transmission line will help to provide efficient power for our growing communities and economy,” said Hoeven. “This project is a good example of the energy infrastructure investments that we need to build a brighter energy future for our state and our nation.”

Minnkota Power Cooperative provides electricity to the eastern third of North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. The 250-mile Center to Grand Forks transmission line began service on August 7. It will transport energy from the Milton R. Young Station and will help to provide grid reliability and long-term growth needs.

Hoeven is a member of the Senate Energy Committee and as Governor, worked to put in place EmpowerND, the state’s comprehensive, all-of-the-above energy plan.

The senator has been working to build a comprehensive, state’s first federal energy plan to make the nation energy secure within the next five years. To that end, the senator has introduced a variety of energy bills, including the Domestic Energy and Jobs Act (DEJA). This legislation is a wide-ranging package of energy bills that encompasses both traditional and renewable development, streamlines and simplifies regulations, boosts domestic energy supplies and builds American energy infrastructure, the topic of today’s discussions. This legislation establishes an American energy development plan, an all-of-the-above energy program for federal lands by reviewing the nation’s energy needs and goals for federal land energy production. The legislation also included a quadrennial review for onshore energy production.