Orono Substation Expansion - Enviromental Assessment (1)

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RESPONSIBLE GOVERNMENT UNIT ' Minnesota Department of Commerce Suzanne Steinhauer Division of Energy Resources State Permit Manager 85 7th Place East,Suite 500 (651) 296-2888 St.Paul,Minnesota 55101-2198 Suzanne.steinhauer@state.mn.us ' PROJECT OWNER Xcel Energy Joseph G. Sedarski 414 Nicollet Mall,MP-8 Senior Permitting Analyst Minneapolis,Minnesota 55401 (612) 330-6435 Ii oseph.g.sedarski@xcelenergy.com ABSTRACT ' Pursuant to the provisions of Minnesota Statutes,chapter 216E,Xcel Energy(applicant) filed a high-voltage transmission line route permit application with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission)on June 7,2011, for a proposed 115 kilovolt(kV) transmission line and ' modifications to the existing transmission lines and substations. Xcel Energy proposes to construct the Orono Substation Expansion and new 115 kV Transmission Line Project(Project). As proposed, the Project would replace the existing 69 kV Orono Substation with a new 115 kV substation at the same location,but with a larger footprint. The Project would connect the upgraded substation to the existing Xcel Energy 115 kV transmission line 0831 through ' a new double circuit 115 kV transmission lines of approximately 0.4 miles. The Project,as proposed,would also relocate approximately 0.2 miles of single circuit 115 kV transmission line. While not part of the Route Permit requested by Xcel Energy,approximately 400 feet of the existing ' Great River Energy 69 kV transmission line BD would be rerouted around the new Orono Substation. ' Minnesota Department of Commerce Energy Facilities Permitting(EFP) is tasked with conducting environmental review of the applications for transmission line route permits. The intent of this environmental assessment document and the environmental review process is to inform the public, the applicant,and decision-makers of the potential impacts from the proposed project and possible mitigations for those impacts. ' Persons interested in these matters can register their names on the project contact list at http://energyfacilities.puc.state.mn.us/Docket.html?Id=32082 or by contacting: Suzanne Steinhauer,Energy Facility Permitting,85 7th Place East, Suite 500,St. Paul,Minnesota, 55101, ' phone: (651)-296-2888,email: suzanne.steinhauer@state.mn.us. Documents related to this project can be found at the above website or also by going to: • https://www.edockets.state.mn.us/EFiling/search.jsp and entering"11" for Year and"223" for ' Number,under search criteria. 1 Environmental Assessment PUC Docket E002/TL-11-223 Page i