Otter Tail and Montana-Dakota Utilities open new transmission line

After eight years of planning and three years of construction, Otter Tail Power Company and Montana-Dakota Utilities opened the 163-mile Big Stone South-Ellendale (BSSE) Transmission Line.

The $215 million line extends from the Big Stone South Substation near Big Stone City, S.D., to the Ellendale Substation near Ellendale, N.D.

“The team completed construction on time, under budget, and with a stellar safety record,” Project Manager Al Koeckeritz from Otter Tail Power Company said. “I’d like to extend a special thanks to communities and residents throughout the project area. Your partnership has brought us to the finish line.”

It is one of 16 projects approved by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc. (MISO) and state regulatory agencies. 

“This portfolio was designed to improve reliability of the electric system and increase system capacity to address growth in demand, support public policy by enabling renewable energy to be integrated into the system, and boost regional economies by creating jobs, supporting local businesses, and contributing taxes,” Otter Tail Power Company President Tim Rogelstad said. “Congratulations to the project team and all those who touched this project.”

High-voltage transmission lines like this one allow access to diverse generation resources in a large geographic area. MISO manages these high-voltage transmission lines to ensure all customers within MISO’s 15-state footprint receive the energy they need most cost-effectively.

Otter Tail is a subsidiary of Otter Tail Corporation, which is headquartered in Fergus Falls, Minn. The company provides energy to more than a quarter million people in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.  

Montana-Dakota Utilities Co. provides energy to approximately 143,000 electric customers and 274,000 natural gas customers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Wyoming.