Great River Energy proposes Arrowhead standby generator to improve area electrical reliability

Elk River, Minn. – Great River Energy filed a conditional use permit application with Cook County on January 4, 2007 for a standby generator.

Great River Energy proposes building an 18-megawatt standby generator in the Arrowhead region of Minnesota to help improve electrical reliability in Arrowhead Electric Cooperative’s service area.

This new system will provide back up electrical service during times when the main transmission line to the area is out of service due to storm damage, maintenance or system wide emergencies.

The proposed standby generator would be constructed near the substation at Colvill, which is approximately 10 miles east of Grand Marais and at the end of the transmission line. The standby generator would be available to run if the main transmission line serving the area is out of service or overloaded. The generator also would run approximately one hour each month for testing.

After receiving all necessary approvals and permits, construction of the standby generator would begin in 2007 and be completed by mid 2008.

Great River Energy is a not-for-profit electric generation and transmission cooperative providing wholesale electric energy and related services to 28 distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin serving 600,000 customers, or approximately 1.7 million people. For more information about Great River Energy, visit: www.GreatRiverEnergy.com.