Opposition mounts to proposed Xcel
high-voltage line for wind energy
A room full of farmers and other residents at
a public meeting in Marshall this week let Xcel Energy know they want
nothing to do with the utility’s latest proposed high-voltage
transmission line for wind power in their area. Both of the proposed
routes for the high-voltage line would originate and cross through
Lyon County in southwestern Minnesota. But the Marshall
Independent indicates the project got panned with numerous
landowners speaking out against the line, citing a variety of
concerns.
“The process of making these decision
where we’re running these lines is very critical to all of us,
especially in what we do here in the land,” Brian Hicks said. “I’m
just really encouraging you to take this serious, because it impacts
us greatly.”
A few different speakers at the meeting —
including state Rep. Chris Swedzinski — said the lines should not be
built at all.
“I think Xcel is making a mistake
shutting down the coal-fired plants,” Swedzinski said at the
public comment session. “Give us more than just two choices.
Give us a third, to just say no.”
There’s a sense rural Minnesotans are paying
the price to meet extreme green energy mandates set in St. Paul that
many view skeptically. It doesn’t help that it would be the second
huge Xcel power line to cut through farms in the rural county.
Xcel Energy has applied for state permits to
build a proposed 345-kilovolt electric transmission line running
from Becker to a new substation near Garvin. Xcel spokespeople said
the project would make it possible to connect with sources of wind
energy in southwest Minnesota, to replace the coal-fired Sherco
power plant in Becker.
The meeting checks off a box in the process
Xcel must go through in order to obtain a permit to move forward from
the Public Utilities Commission. Despite numerous concerns voiced by
residents, the reality is Xcel has the option of using eminent domain
to push the project through, if push comes to shove.
[Farmer Lisa] Dallenbach said she wanted the
PUC to address the fact that Xcel could potentially take property
for the transmission lines through eminent domain.
“Because it is a public utility, and
it’s trying to do what’s best for the public, I have no say. You
guys can come within 50 feet of my house. Nothing I can do about it.
And that should frustrate all of us landowners, that we don’t have a
choice,” Dallenbach said. “We don’t want our land stolen
from us. We’ve worked hard for it.”
“If a public utility such as Xcel Energy
gets a route permit from the Commission, they can use the provisions
in eminent domain,” [PUC staff member Steve] Ek said. However,
before that could happen the Commission would first need to
determine there was a need for the project, and go through the route
permit process. That was why it was important for the public to give
feedback and suggest alternatives.
The blowback in Lyon County marks a second
front of opposition to Xcel’s proposed 175-mile long transmission
line. The Renville County Board of Commissioners raised several
similar
concerns over Xcel’s proposed route in a recent public meeting in
that rural county.
