Route Permit For 500-Kilovolt Power Line Approved

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — State regulators have approved a route permit for a 500-kilovolt line to carry hydroelectric power from Manitoba to northeastern Minnesota.

The Public Utilities Commission on Friday backed Minnesota Power's Great Northern Transmission Line. The utility says the line is a key part of its strategy for reducing carbon emissions and getting a third of its power from renewable sources. Minnesota Power estimates the cost at $560 million to $720 million.

The 224-mile route will cross the border in Roseau County and run through sparsely populated areas to a substation east of Grand Rapids. The approved route is mostly the same as what the company originally proposed.

The project still needs a presidential permit because it crosses an international border. Minnesota Power says that approval is expected in March or April.