Orono_Route_Permit_Application - Docket # W002/TL-11-223

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Resolution of South St. Paul Page 2 of 5 and arguments in favor of the application and Roger Conant, Power Line Task Force, Joseph Turene, Sophie Voigt, and Edward Chapdelaine who presented facts and arguments in opposition to the Application. 1.06 At a special meeting on July 30, 2 00 1, the City Council considered and discussed the Application, and the record. Based upon a preponderance of the evidence contained in the record related to the Application, and the arguments of proponents and opponents of the Application, the City Council makes the following findings of fact, conclusions and decision. SECTION TWO Findings of Fact 2.01 Northern States Power Company, doing business as Xcel Energy ("NSP") filed an application for a conditional use permit to upgrade its existing I I AV transmission line within the City of South St. Paul by adding a second 11 5k circuit and rebuilding the transmission line on monopole structures (the "Application"). 2.62 A public bearing on the Application was held before the Planning Commission on June 6, 2001, following published and mailed notice as required by law. On June 13, 2001, the Planning Commission adopted its findings of fact, conclusions and recommendation with respect to the Application ("Planning Commission Recommendation"). 2.03 By resolution adopted June 18, 2001, the City Council extended the time to complete processing the Application to August 7, 2001, for the reasons stated in the resolution. A certified copy of the resolution was sent by certified mail to NSP on June 20, 2001, and a receipt therefore was signed by a representative of NSP. 2.04 The existing transmission line is located on a 4O -foot wide right-of-way (owned in fee by NSP) for about 3,000 feet within a built-up residential area within the City of South St. Paul. In the rest of the City the right-of- way is 50 feet wide. The right-of-way widths will not be expanded as part of the proposed project. 2.05 The present transmission line was originally constructed in the early 1920's, and modified in later years. Most, if not all, of the houses adjacent to the transmission line were constructed after the transmission line existed and subsequent owners purchased with knowledge of the existence of the line. 2.06 NSP Proposes to construct the existing transmission line and a new 115kV transmission line as a double circuit transmission line, which is required to provide continuous reliable electrical power to customers in the southeast suburban Minneapolis -St. Paul area, including the City of South St. Paul. The project will establish two independent circuits between the Red Rock substation and the Rogers Lake substation, which will prevent loss of electric service in the event of a line failure. CAI concurred in the need for the project. Opponents of the Application questioned the need for the project and its benefit to consumers in the City of South St Paul. However; the Weight of the evidence supports the need for the double circuit line. 2.07 The proposal is to construct the double circuit transmission line on monopoles which will be about 25 feet taller than the existing transmission line structures. The conductors of the existing line are about 25 feet above ground and the nearest are 7 feet from the edge of the 40 -foot wide right-of-way. The lowest conductors of the proposed line would be about 25 feet above ground and about 10 feet from the edge of the 40 -foot wide right- of-way ight- ofway 2.08 The noise level of the existing line at the edge of the 40 -foot wide right-of-way is 20.9 dB(a); it is calculated to be 24.8 dB(a) for the double circuit lines. If the proposed double circuit line was constructed underground there would be no noise. 2.09 Electric and magnetic field strengths (EMF) were measured and calculated for the existing line and the double circuit line on the 40 foot wide right-of-way. The magnetic field for the existing line at the right-of-way edge is 101.3 milligrams (mG); for the double circuit line it will be 25.1 mG. If the double circuit line was constructed underground the magnetic field at the right-of0way edge would be 2.4 mG. http://www.powerlinefacts.com/South%20St%20Pau1%20Resolution.htrn 4/19/2011