Studies and Reports > 2009 MN Biennial Report > NE Planning Zone > Needs: 6.3.7 Nashwauk Area

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6.3.7 Nashwauk Area

Tracking Number. 2003-NE-N9

Utility. Great River Energy

Inadequacy. The load in the Nashwauk and Crooked Lake area has been growing at an average rate of 2.8% summer and 8.4% winter per year since 2002. This load growth caused the voltage levels at the Nashwauk and Crooked Lake substations to become marginal during winter peaking load situations and has caused the voltage regulator and a portion of transmission line that serve these substations to approach their capacity.

A map of the area is shown on the following page.

Alternatives. Three alternatives were identified in the 2005 Report and have been under consideration to address the load serving issue in the Nashwauk area: (1) a new Shoal Lake 115 kV distribution substation west of the existing Nashwauk substation, (2) a new Lawrence Lake 115 kV distribution substation about five miles southwest of the Crooked Lake substation, and (3) additional generation.

Analysis. The new Shoal Lake substation is the preferred alternative as its development can be coordinated with the need for additional transmission to serve the proposed Essar Steel facility (Tracking Number 2007-NE-N2) and cost efficiencies can be achieved through shared transmission corridor use. However, as the Essar Steel development is still a number of years away, GRE is looking to make some incremental upgrades to the existing 23 kV feed to alleviate the regulator overloading and lessen the peak loading voltage impacts.

Schedule. GRE is seeking to make incremental upgrades to the existing 23 kV system serving this area by Fall 2009 or Spring 2010. Development of the Essar Steel transmission will be monitored to see when development of the Shoal Lake substation can be initiated.

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