St. Cloud Load Serving Study
Xcel Energy
Great River Energy
Overview:
• Total load in the region is approximately 400 MW
• Served through 12 distribution substations including GRE’s Sartell
and Sauk River substations through 115 kV loop fed from Benton
Co and Sherco.
• Deficiencies include low voltages for loss of Benton – Granite City
double circuit and approximately 105 MW of load served from the
6 mile radial line.
• Planned upgrades include Sauk River – St. Cloud 115 kV line
upgrade and Quarry 345/115 kV substation.
Option 1:
• 10 mile 115 kV line from Sartell substation to Mayhew
Lake substation.
• 2 mile double circuit from West St. Cloud to Sartell tap.
• Upgrade Quarry to West St. Cloud tap.
• Convert Benton Co tap – Benton Co double circuit to
single bifurcated line.
Option 2 (Preferred):
• Upgrade
Quarry – West St. Cloud 115 kV line.
• Re-terminate Benton Co – Granite City line
into Mayhew Lake (4 miles of new 115 kV
line).
• Convert – Benton Co – Benton Co tap to single
circuit bifurcated line.
Questions?
Douglas Co Area
(West Central Minnesota)
Overview:
• Study area involves the 69 kV system served from
Douglas Co and Paynesville 115/69 kV substations.
• 50 MW of Load in the study area.
• Poor reliability of lines in the area due to age.
Planned Projects:
• Grove Lake switching station
• Douglas Co 2nd 115/69 kV transformer.
• Sauk Center – West Union 69 kV line upgrade.
Deficiencies:
• Loss any section between Douglas Co and Villard will
result in low voltages in the region.
• Loss of Grove Lake – Sedan will result in low voltages
in the region.
Preferred Plan:
• Rebuild 13 miles of 69 kV line from Grove Lake
switching station to Glenwood substation.
Questions?
Maple Lake and Wakefield Areas
(West Central Minnesota)
Overview:
• Study area involves 69 kV lines between GRE-Maple
Lake and Xcel Wakefield substations.
• Recent improvements in the area include upgrading the
69 kV line between Wakefield and Watkins.
System deficiencies:
• Loss of Wakefield – Fairhaven line causes low voltages
in the region.
• Loss of Watkins – Kimball line causes low voltages in
the region.
• Reliability problems due to the age of the conductor.
Option 1:
• Rebuild 34.5 kV line between Paynesville – Eden valley
and Watkins to 69 kV.
Option 2 (Preferred):
• Upgrade 69 kV line between GRE-Maple Lake and
Watkins substations.
Questions?
Sioux Falls Area
(South Dakota)
Overview:
• Study area involves the transmission system for the city
of Sioux Falls.
• Load in the downtown area is fed primarily from a 69
kV system which is fed from the looped 115 kV system
around the city.
• Recent improvements are the addition of Lawrence #2,
115/69, 112 MVA transformer and the splitting of the
115 kV double circuit from Cherry Creek to Split Rock.
System deficiencies:
• Lawrence #1 or #2 transformer in 2014 for
loss of the other.
• Lincoln Tap-South Sioux Falls in 2015 for
loss of Lawrence to Sioux Falls Muni.
• Lawrence-Sioux Falls Muni in 2016 for loss
of Lawrence-Morill Tap.
• West Sioux Falls-West Sioux Falls TapSioux Falls Muni in 2016 for loss of
Lawrence to Sioux Falls Muni.
Option 1:
• Build a new 115 kV station from (old) Silver Creek
location to Existing Sioux Falls substation at 115 kV.
Add a new 115/69 kV transformer at Sioux Falls
substation.
Option 2:
• Build a new 115 kV line from Lawrence to Sioux Falls
substation. Add a new 115/69 kV transformer at Sioux
Falls substation.
Sioux Falls: Option 1
Sioux Falls: Option 2
Questions?
Arden Hills Area
North metro load serving
Arden Hills Deficiencies
Branch
Year
Rating (Contingency)
Contingency
Goose Lake - Vadnias Tap
2011
208 MVA
Terminal 8M15 breaker
Apache Tap - Arden Hills
2011
306 MVA
Goose Lake Multi Terminal Outage
Lexington - Vadnias Tap
2012
208 MVA
Terminal 8M15 breaker
Apache Tap - Riverside
2020
214 MVA
Outage of Apache Tap - Terminal
Kohlman Lake 345/115 kV xfmrs
2020
515 MVA
Double Circuit Between Kohlman Lake and
Terminal split structure
Arden Hills – TCAAP
2023
341 MVA
Goose Lake Multi Terminal Outage
Kohlman Lake and Goose Lake 115 kV
equipment
2025
398 MVA
Terminal 8M15 breaker
Goose Lake - Kohlman Lake
2026
420 MVA
Terminal 8M15 breaker
Option 1 (Rebuild or Re-conductor)
Option 2 (Preferred Option)
Questions / Comments
Red Rock area bulk supply
Southeast Metro
Red Rock Deficiencies
Scenario
Contingency
Facility
Rating
% Loading
1
Stuck breaker 8P22 (Red Rock)
Red Rock 345/115 kV # 9
515
96
1
Stuck Breaker K5 (Red Rock)
Red Rock 345/115kV #10
515
94.2
1
Long Lake – Oakdale 115 kV
Red Rock – Woodbury
214
126.7
2
Stuck breaker 5P2 (King)
Afton – Red Rock
214
100.7
2
Stuck Breaker 8P22 (Red Rock)
Red Rock TR 9
515
115.4
2
Stuck Breaker 8P23 (Red Rock)
Red Rock TR 10
515
124.3
2
NSP 5
Long Lake - Oakdale
341
94.5
3
Stuck Breaker 5P2 (King)
Afton – Red Rock
214
101
3
Stuck Breaker 8P32 (Kohlman Lake)
King 345/115 kV TR
515
91.1
3
Stuck breaker 5P142 (Inver Hills)
Inver Grove – Pilot Knob
239
93.9
3
Stuck breaker 8P22 (Red Rock)
Red Rock TR 9
515
106.9
3
Stuck breaker 5P82 (Red Rock)
Red Rock TR 10
515
103.2
Red Rock Opt. 1 (Preferred Opt)
Red Rock Opt 2 (new Afton Source)
Questions / Comments