The $3.2 billion North Plains Connector transmission project has received Minnkota Power Cooperative as the eighth member of its utility consortium.
Minnkota, a not-for-profit electric generation and transmission cooperative headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota, has signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with North Plains Connector LLC, a wholly owned entity of Grid United, to secure 150 megawatts of capacity on the 3,000-megawatt, high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line once it begins operations, subject to the successful negotiation of definitive agreements.
“The North Plains Connector represents a promising opportunity to strengthen the regional grid and support long-term energy reliability and flexibility,” said Mac McLennan, president and CEO of Minnkota Power Cooperative. “This project would create another strong transmission connection near Minnkota’s generation resources, expanding market opportunities for that power while also enhancing our ability to serve members with reliable, affordable electricity. Just as importantly, the line would create another pathway to bring power resources from the west into our system, giving Minnkota additional flexibility to move electricity where it’s needed and respond to changing energy demands. As the energy industry continues to evolve, projects like this become increasingly important.”
Once completed, the North Plains Connector will be the first HVDC transmission line in the United States to connect three regional electric energy markets – the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, the Western Interconnection, and the Southwest Power Pool.
“The momentum on North Plains Connector is reflective of the regional utilities’ commitment to serving their customers by expanding grid capacity in the most efficient and cost-effective way,” said Colleen Nash, Leader of the North Plains Connector HVDC transmission project. “We are proud to welcome Minnkota to the utility consortium as the project’s second North Dakota-based utility serving the MISO electricity market.”
Construction on the North Plains Connector is expected to commence in 2028, with expected operations in 2032. Grid United and ALLETE are joint developers of the North Plains Connector. Other members of the utility consortium with signed capacity MOUs with the project are: Avista, BHE U.S. Transmission, MDU Resources, NorthWestern Energy, Portland General Electric, and Puget Sound Energy.
In December 2024, NorthWestern Energy signed a nonbinding MOU with North Plains Connector LLC to also own 10% (300 MW) of the North Plains Connector. The news came just a week after Puget Sound Energy (PSE) nabbed the largest share of the project, signing a nonbinding MOU to secure 750 MW.
In May 2024, Portland General Electric (PGE) signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with Grid United and ALLETE in the development of the North Plains Connector. At the time of the announcement, PGE was expected to have a 20% ownership share of the project. The electric transmission infrastructure would provide PGE with 600 MW of transfer capacity, access to energy resources, and wholesale markets, as well as ease congestion on the existing western transmission system.
In November 2024, Avista Corporation also signed a nonbinding memorandum of understanding with North Plains Connector LLC. The connector will provide Avista with 300 MW of transfer capacity. BHE U.S. Transmission signed an MOU in January, 2025 to own 10%, or 300 MW, of the 3,000-MW project. MDU Resources signed an MOU for 150 MW of the project in late 2025.
Grid United started preliminary work on the project in the summer of 2021, looking at constraints such as biological, land use, existing infrastructure, and archeological/cultural sites, according to documents it created for stakeholder meetings. In 2023, Grid United announced that it would team up with ALLETE.
