Mortenson to Build $450M North Dakota–Minnesota HVDC Project
Minnesota Power has broken ground on a $450-million high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission modernization project connecting North Dakota and Minnesota, with Mortenson serving as general contractor.
The 465-mile line will replace transmission infrastructure dating to 1977, including new converter stations and substations. A converter station at Center, N.D., and another near Hermantown, Minn., will enable power conversion between alternating and direct current, supporting bidirectional electricity flows.
The project is part of a broader $900-million grid investment in Minnesota. Siemens Energy is supplying the HVDC technology.
“The line delivers renewable wind energy from Minnesota Power's Bison Wind Energy Center in North Dakota.”
Josh Skelton, Minnesota Power CEO, said: “One of the most important benefits of this modernization is flexibility. When extreme weather hits, when system conditions change quickly, or when energy is needed in a different place than expected, the ability to move power both ways on this line becomes a real advantage.”
The project is also connected to a proposed $2-billion Google data center in Hermantown, which could require 700 MW of new clean-energy resources. Minnesota Power says HVDC can reduce energy losses by 15% to 30% compared with a comparable AC line.
Source: enr.com
