Transmission Line in Minnesota & Wisconsin Will Support Regional Reliability
LA CROSSE, WI—Dairyland Power Cooperative and GridLiance Heartland, LLC (GridLiance), a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Transmission, LLC, have reached an agreement to jointly develop and co-own the MariBell Transmission Project, a 139-mile, 765 kilovolt (kV) / 161 kV double circuit transmission line in Minnesota and Wisconsin. The 139-mile segment, which extends from Marion, Minn., to Bell Center, Wis., is a portion of a new 273-mile, 765 kV transmission line, and spans six counties in the two states.
Representing the middle segment of the North Rochester-Columbia 765 kV line, MariBell is part of a portfolio of transmission solutions approved in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) Long Range Transmission Planning Tranche 2.1 in December 2024.
“A strong interstate transmission connection between Minnesota and Wisconsin will improve the reliability and flexibility of the region’s transmission system, while supporting economic benefits and growth,” said Ben Porath, Dairyland Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer. “The collaboration between Dairyland and GridLiance will leverage the core competencies of each organization for the benefit of all Midwest energy consumers.”
“We are pleased to support MISO in its efforts to enhance power reliability by strengthening the transfer of cost-effective energy resources between Minnesota and Wisconsin,” said Natalie Smith, President of GridLiance. “We look forward to working with Dairyland to engage stakeholders and local communities on next steps.”
The MariBell Transmission Project will help maintain a reliable, resilient and flexible power grid while delivering economic benefits to residents in the Upper Midwest. The project is expected to be in service in 2034, following the regulatory review process and thorough stakeholder and community engagement. Visit MariBell Transmission | GridLiance.
About Dairyland Power Cooperative: Headquartered in La Crosse, Wis., Dairyland provides the wholesale electrical requirements for 24 distribution cooperatives and 27 municipal utilities. These cooperatives and municipals, in turn, supply the energy needs of over 750,000 people in the four-state service area. Dairyland delivers electricity via 3,720 miles of transmission lines and 400 substations located throughout the system’s 44,500 square mile service area. Visit www.DairylandPower.com.
About GridLiance: GridLiance, a wholly owned subsidiary of NextEra Energy Transmission, is an electric transmission utility company. GridLiance collaborates with rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, joint action agencies and others to plan for the future of the electric grid, invests in necessary electric infrastructure and implements strategies to improve system reliability and resiliency, reducing overall costs to customers. The company operates more than 700 miles of transmission lines and related facilities in Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Nevada and Oklahoma. Visit www.gridliance.com.
