A strong electrical backbone is needed to deliver electricity across the nation. To keep up with the pace of increasing electricity demand and maintain a resilient grid, it is crucial that efforts are made to upgrade and expand the transmission system.
The MariBell transmission project is a new proposed 140-mile line, stretching from Marion, MN, to Bell Center, WI. This project is a part of a larger effort by the regional transmission operator, Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO), to build a backbone to transport energy across the Midwest.
MISO did a multi-year, comprehensive, long-range transmission planning study, focused on regional solutions to enhance both reliability and efficiency of the electric grid. Through this study, MISO identified that there was increasing demand for electricity. In response, they built a roadmap of regional transmission projects to address future issues and guide near-term next steps.
The project will provide a new revenue stream to support local initiatives in communities across Minnesota and Wisconsin. In Minnesota alone, it is expected to generate approximately $375 million in local and state property taxes and more than $200 million in economic activity from construction and operations. In Wisconsin, the project is projected to contribute approximately $30 million in state revenue and over $70 million in additional economic benefits.
When possible, the project route will follow an existing transmission corridor, which will help mitigate impacts to landowners, and the environment, along the project route. The infrastructure can work with the landscape and agriculture, allowing landowners to maintain use of their land with the infrastructure on their property, with some restrictions for safety.
The MariBell transmission project is one of many investments slated to deliver reliable energy to the Upper Midwest.
To learn more about transmission planning and the impacts of increasing electricity demand, visit cfra.org/investing-in-our-electricity-backbone.
