Bellevue, WA, Dec. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Puget Sound Energy (PSE) today announced that it has signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with North Plains Connector LLC, a wholly owned entity of Grid United, to participate in the development of North Plains Connector, a 420-mile, 3,000 megawatt high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission line.
Under the terms of the MOU, PSE would own 750 megawatts, the largest share of North Plains Connector among the participating utilities. Grid United will continue to fund the development of North Plains Connector. PSE would invest when project regulatory approvals and permits are in place.
Once completed, the project will establish the first transmission link among the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, the Western Electricity Coordinating Council, and the Southwest Power Pool, providing additional flexibility and resource sharing across multiple western states.
We are excited to play a part in the development of North Plains Connector, which will play an important role in enhancing the reliability and resilience of the western grid,” said Josh Jacobs, PSE Vice President of Clean Energy Strategy and Planning. “It will be a critical link connecting PSE and its customers to new markets that can provide needed resource diversity to aid in the clean energy transition,” he said.
Interregional transmission facilitates a more resilient grid by increasing the availability of diverse energy sources to help serve demand for electricity during critical periods. By investing in a bidirectional high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) transmission line, PSE is supporting the development of a more modern and efficient grid that can better integrate renewable energy sources and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
“PSE is committed to meeting the rapidly growing energy needs of our customers while also supporting the region’s transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future,” Jacobs added.
2024 has seen significant progress for North Plains Connector. Earlier this year, PSE joined a group of eight utilities as part of the North Plains Interregional Innovation (NPC II) consortium that supported the $700 million GRIP (Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnerships) grant conditionally awarded to the Montana Department of Commerce by the U.S. Department of Energy. Most of the Department of Energy’s GRIP grant will support the construction of North Plains Connector, solidifying federal support for the project’s development. In October, the project took another step forward by entering the NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) process for federal permitting. The project is on track for an anticipated operational date of 2032.
Grid United and ALLETE, Inc. (NYSE: ALE) are jointly developing North Plains Connector.
For more information about the North Plains Connector project, please visit www.northplainsconnector.com.
Puget Sound Energy is proud to serve our neighbors and communities in 10 Washington counties. We’re the state’s largest utility, supporting approximately 1.2 million electric customers and 900,000 natural gas customers. We’re undergoing the most significant transformation in our history as we strive to meet some of the most ambitious clean energy laws in the nation, while delivering on our customers’ expectations for safe and reliable energy. For more about us and what we do, visit pse.com. Also follow us on Facebook and X.
###
About Grid United
Grid United is an independent transmission company aiming to modernize the United States’ power grid to create a more resilient and efficient electric system that uses the nation’s abundant and geographically diverse natural resources to the benefit of all consumers. For more information, visit www.gridunited.com.
Media contact:
Ashley McGeary, Communications Director
[email protected]
About ALLETE
ALLETE, Inc. is an energy company headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota. In addition to its electric utilities, Minnesota Power and Superior Water, Light and Power of Wisconsin, ALLETE owns ALLETE Clean Energy, based in Duluth; BNI Energy in Bismarck, North Dakota; and New Energy Equity, headquartered in Annapolis, Maryland; and has an 8% equity interest in the American Transmission Co. More information about ALLETE is available at www.allete.com.
ALE-CORP The statements contained in this release and statements that ALLETE may make orally in connection with this release that are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Actual results may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and investors are directed to the risks discussed in documents filed by ALLETE with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Media Contact:
Amy Rutledge
218-723-7400
[email protected]
- North Plains Connector Project Map