Minot-based Central Power Cooperative is receiving a $50.4 million loan from USDA’s electric program.
The loan will be used to add 32 miles of transmission line, replace 57 miles of existing line, build 9 new substations and make improvements to 20 other substations.
Central Power is a generation and transmission cooperative that serves six distribution co-ops. Those co-ops serve 65,000 customers across 25 counties in central and southeastern North Dakota.
"We've seen continual load growth of a fairly substantial nature that's requiring us to make these significant investments in our system," said Central Power general manager Thomas Meland. "We serve Verendrye Electric in the Minot area, and Capital Electric of Bismarck, and there's fair growth in both those areas."
Meland said the upgrades will also provide better reliability.