Studies and Reports > 2009 MN Biennial Report > TC Planning Zone > Needs: 6.5.4 Long Lake-Oakdale-Tanners Lake-Woodbury 115 kV Line

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6.5.4 Long Lake-Oakdale-Tanners Lake-Woodbury 115 kV Line

Tracking Number. 2003-TC-N8

Utility. Xcel Energy

Inadequacy. There is a 115 kV line located in the suburbs just east of St. Paul that runs from the Long Lake Substation on the north to the Oakdale Substation to the Tanners Lake Substation to the Woodbury Substation on the south. The loss of a separate 115 kV line from the Baytown Substation feeding the Long Lake Substation results in a significant overload of the line between Tanners Lake and Woodbury, and the loss of a 115 kV line from the Red Rock Substation feeding the Woodbury Substation causes an overload of the segments between Tanners Lake and Long Lake.

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

Alternatives. There are two possible alternatives: (1) Upgrade the conductors to handle a higher capacity, and (2) Install a second 115 kV line in the area.

Analysis. Xcel Energy decided an upgrade was preferable to construction of a new line because an upgrade was less expensive and did not require additional right-of-way. The upgrade could also be completed more expeditiously. Xcel Energy decided to upgrade the lines in two phases, first upgrading the Oakdale-Tanners Lake segment and then the Woodbury-Tanner Lake segment. This approach was acceptable from a technical standpoint and allowed the utility to spread the work and the costs out over a two year-period.

Schedule. The Oakdale – Tanners Lake 115 kV line upgrade was completed in mid – 2007. The

2.5 miles of line between Woodbury and Tanners Lake is expected to be completed by the end of 2009.

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