The Public Service Commission has approved two high-voltage power line projects that the Commission says will help alleviate the power congestion in northwest North Dakota and the Bakken region.
The shorter line is a 345 kilovolt line in Williams County. That line is just under 15 miles long. Another project the PSC approved would be a 32-point-5 mile line in Dunn and McKenzie Counties.
Both are being proposed by Bismarck-based Basin Electric Power Cooperative.
"We worked through this application in a thorough manner, but in a very efficient time frame, less than three months," said Commissioner Julie Fedorchak. "That's further indication of the importance of this infrastructure, and our support of getting the project underway as soon as possible, to start eliminating the congestion."
Fedorchak said the lines will help shore up reliable power for that part of the state.
"This congestion is costing customers big time up there," said PSC Chairman Randy Christmann. "This potentially helps that. But more importantly, it does help the reliability."
Commissioners said Basin plans to start work on the lines this spring.
The cost is $105 million.