With two separate transmission projects proposed in the Kimball area, Meeker Energy is providing additional information to help residents and landowners understand the differences between the projects and why each is being proposed.
As public notices have been distributed and upcoming Minnesota Public Utilities Commission meetings approach, Meeker Energy has received questions and correspondence that indicate some residents may be confusing the two projects.
While portions of the projects are proposed in the same general area, they are not the same project and they serve different purposes.
Meeker Energy and Great River Energy Project: Built to Serve Local Members
Meeker Energy, in partnership with its wholesale power provider Great River Energy (GRE), is proposing the Kimball 115-kV Transmission Line and Substation Project.
The project includes a new Meeker Energy substation approximately 1.35 miles northwest of Kimball and approximately four miles of new 115-kV transmission line connecting the substation to GRE’s existing transmission system.
The purpose of the project is straightforward: to meet growing local electric demand and continue providing reliable service to Meeker Energy members in the area.
Homes, farms and businesses in and around the Kimball area depend on Meeker Energy’s local distribution system. As electrical demand grows, additional infrastructure is needed to provide the capacity and reliability necessary to serve those members now and into the future.
“This project is about serving our members,” said Luke Johnson, CEO and General Manager of Meeker Energy. “The new substation and the Great River Energy transmission line that will supply it are being proposed because of growth and changing electrical needs on our local system. We understand why people may be confused when they see two transmission projects proposed in the same area, and we want to make sure residents have clear information about what our project is and why it is needed.”
The Meeker Energy/GRE project is not being proposed as a result of recent state energy legislation or changes in state energy policy. Its need is driven by local electric load growth and the infrastructure required to serve Meeker Energy members.
Xcel Energy Project: A Separate Regional Transmission Project
Xcel Energy’s Minnesota Energy Connection is a separate project involving a new 345-kV transmission line that would extend from near the City of Becker to Lyon County, Minnesota. It was approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and is currently under construction in western Minnesota. Xcel Energy is working with landowners to secure easements for the project.
That project is part of broader changes to Minnesota’s regional electric transmission and generation system associated with the state’s changing energy mix and energy policies.
Although the Xcel Energy line will pass through portions of the same general area as the Meeker Energy/GRE project, the Xcel Energy line will not connect to the proposed Meeker Energy substation.
Meeker Energy and Great River Energy are not developers of the Xcel Energy Minnesota Energy Connection project.
“Because both projects involve transmission lines and are being discussed at roughly the same time, it is understandable that people may initially assume they are connected,” Johnson said. “They are separate projects, with separate purposes.”
Public Meetings for the Meeker Energy/GRE Project
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will hold public information meetings specifically for the Kimball 115-kV Transmission Line and Substation Project, PUC Docket No. 26-182.
In-Person Meeting – Wednesday, October 28, 2026
Open House: 5:30–6:00 p.m.
Public Meeting: 6:00–8:00 p.m.
Maine Prairie Town Hall
7551 Dellwood Road, Kimball
Online Public Meeting – Thursday, October 29, 2026
6:00–8:00 p.m.
The meetings are part of the state permitting process and provide residents with an opportunity to learn more about the Meeker Energy/GRE project, review project information, ask questions and provide comments.
Written comments regarding the project will also be accepted by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission through November 9, 2026, at 4:30 p.m.
Meeker Energy encourages residents with questions about the Kimball substation and 115-kV transmission line to review information associated specifically with PUC Docket No. 26-182 so that it is not confused with information related to the separate Xcel Energy project.
For more information, please contact:
Dan Schrupp
Electric Operations Manager
dschrupp@meeker.coop
320-593-4126