ALLETE applauds $700 million federal grant for Montana and North Plains Connector transmission project
06 August 2024 - 10:00PM
Business Wire
ALLETE (NYSE:ALE), a co-developer of the North Plains Connector
transmission project, applauds the U.S. Department of Energy for
its support of the Montana Department of Commerce Grid Resilience
and Innovation Partnership application and for the planned
approximately 415-mile high-voltage direct-current (HVDC)
transmission line from central North Dakota to Colstrip, Montana,
through a $700 million grant.
The North Plains Connector, a joint project between ALLETE and
North Plains Connector LLC, a subsidiary of Grid United LLC, will
be the nation’s first HVDC transmission connection between three
regional U.S. electric energy markets—the Midcontinent Independent
System Operator, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council and
the Southwest Power Pool. The line will create 3,000 megawatts of
transfer capacity across all three energy markets to ease
congestion on the transmission system and increase resiliency and
reliability through instantaneous, two-way delivery of energy.
The $700 million DOE grant is part of the Grid Resilience and
Innovation Partnerships (GRIP) program to enhance grid flexibility
and improve the resilience of the power system against growing
threats of extreme weather and climate change. The program is
intended to accelerate transformative projects that will help to
ensure the reliability of the power sector’s infrastructure and
reduce costs for utility customers.
The DOE announced recipients of a second round of GRIP grants
today at a news conference. The Montana Department of Commerce
applied for the grant on behalf of the North Plains Connector
Interregional Innovation Consortium, which includes utilities
ALLETE, Avista, Minnkota Power Cooperative, Montana-Dakota
Utilities, NorthWestern Energy, Otter Tail Power Co., Portland
General Electric and Puget Sound Energy. The consortium also
includes North Dakota Transmission Authority and the Standing Rock
Sioux Tribe, the latter of which is a co-applicant with the Montana
Department of Commerce.
“This grant certainly reinforces the importance of expanding and
strengthening our nation’s grid—this innovative project will
enhance energy reliability and resilience across a large part of
the nation,” said ALLETE Chair, President and CEO Bethany Owen. “We
are excited to be part of this historic investment in critical
infrastructure as we continue to advance our sustainability in
action strategy. We are always stronger when we work together, as
shown by this program that unites government, utilities and private
industry to benefit the broader region.”
The HVDC transmission project represents an approximately $3.2
billion total investment in Montana and North Dakota and is
expected to create over 600 jobs during construction. Connecting
the North Dakota and Montana grids will help mitigate the impact of
extreme weather events and accommodate the growing demand for
electricity. Once built, the transmission line will enable
additional energy production in Montana and North Dakota.
ALLETE expects to pursue up to 35% ownership share in the
project.
ALLETE and Grid United will work together on development
activities and bringing the line into service by 2032, pending
regulatory and other necessary approvals. For more project
information, visit northplainsconnector.com.
ALLETE, Inc. is an energy company headquartered in Duluth,
Minnesota. In addition to its electric utilities, Minnesota Power
and Superior Water, Light and Power of Wisconsin, ALLETE owns
ALLETE Clean Energy, based in Duluth; BNI Energy in Bismarck, North
Dakota; and New Energy Equity, headquartered in Annapolis,
Maryland; and has an 8% equity interest in the American
Transmission Co. More information about ALLETE is available at
www.allete.com.
ALE-CORP
ALLETE calculates and reports carbon emissions based on the GHG
Protocol. Details in ALLETE’s Corporate Sustainability Report.
The statements contained in this release and statements that
ALLETE may make orally in connection with this release that are not
historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Actual results
may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties and investors are directed to the risks discussed in
documents filed by ALLETE with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240806503215/en/
Amy Rutledge 218-348-2961 arutledge@mnpower.com
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