Studies and Reports > 2009 MN Biennial Report > WC Planning Zone > Needs: 6.4.12 Osakis – Sauk Centre

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6.4.12 Osakis – Sauk Centre

Tracking Number. 2009-WC-N1

Utilities. Xcel Energy

Inadequacy. In the summer of 2012, outage of the Black Oak – Grove 69 kV line will result in low voltage at the Sauk Centre Substation, a municipal substation served by an Xcel Energy 69 kV line.

A map showing the existing 69 kV line between West Union and Black Oak is shown on the following page.

Alternatives. This situation can be helped (but not entirely resolved) by the solution to the Douglas County – Paynesville – Wakefield – West St. Cloud inadequacy (Tracking Number 2003-WC-N8). The two most logical alternatives to address this specific issue are either capacitors or a rebuild of some of the 69 kV line. The line between West Union and Sauk Centre is approximately 9 miles of older conductor that causes a large voltage drop along the line; replacing that conductor resolves the problem. Further, if the line was not rebuilt as part of this project, it would be rebuilt due to age and condition within the next several years. Installing capacitors at Sauk Centre would not resolve the age of the line and would be duplicative. New capacitors were installed within the last ten years at nearby Black Oak Substation and the critical contingency for this inadequacy merely separates Sauk Centre from that capacitance.

Distributed generation is not an adequate alternative to this project due to the age of the transmission line in question; even if distributed generation was installed, the transmission line would have to be rebuilt in the near future due to its age.

Analysis. This inadequacy was identified in Xcel Energy’s 2008 NERC Compliance Assessment.

Schedule. This project will be in service prior to the need date of summer 2012. If the line is rebuilt at 69 kV capacity, review by the Public Utilities Commission will not be required.

Click here or on map below to download high resolution PDF map.