Minnesota Power is showing off plans for their Iron Range-St. Louis County-Arrowhead Transmission Line project. It’s a 63-mile, 345 kilo volt transmission line that will run from Grand Rapids to the St. Louis County substation near Hermantown. Minnesota Power says it will help make the power grid more reliable and efficient.

It’s part of Minnesota Power‘s plan to establish a route and eventually submit a certificate of need to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Minnesota Power’s Senior Environment Compliance Specialist Zach Golkowski says this is a part of a larger project is a need for grid reliability, and sustainability.

“We’re not looking to tomorrow, we’re looking 20 years in the future. Right now, we are in the engagement phase. We will be filing a certificate of need and route permit this winter, prior to February, 2026,” Golkowski said. “We’re looking into environmental studies, getting into the biological wetland type studies, right-of-way acquisition, and then with the potential to have construction starting 2029 into 2032, with an in-service date of 2032.”

This new transmission line will also enhance regional transfer capability and grid reliability in the Upper Midwest.

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