Great River Energy operates in a region with a growing appetite for energy. Our service area stretches across Minnesota and into Wisconsin. We serve many of the Twin Cities outer-ring suburbs, an area that consistently has been one of the nation’s leaders in job growth and energy usage. We must continually monitor this growth and plan for the future. Here are examples of our future plans.

Resource Plan:

Great River Energy’s Resource Plan outlines what power resources are currently available to Great River Energy and how we will consider new resources for the future. The plan also analyzes the future electricity needs of Great River Energy’s customers. Great River Energy files its resource plan with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission every other year.

2008 Great River Energy Resource Plan (498 kB pdf file)

2008 Resource Plan Appendix (919 kB pdf file)

Transmission Planning:

The state of Minnesota has adopted a biennial transmission planning process to ensure the integrity of the state’s electric transmission system. Great River Energy and Minnesota’s other transmission-owning utilities file a biennial transmission planning report with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission in the fall of odd-numbered years. These utilities have joined to sponsor the Minnesota Electric Transmission Planning website and public meetings concerning transmission issues so that the public can become more directly involved in planning.

Please visit the site for more information about Minnesota's Biennial Transmission Plan

To learn what transmission projects are expected to be needed to serve Member cooperative’s projected load growth through 2031, view 2008 Great River Energy’s Long-Range Plan.

Great River Energy also is working with other Minnesota utilities to develop a vision for transmission infrastructure investments needed in the state during the next 15 years. The effort is called CapX 2020, short for Capacity Expansion by the Year 2020. The study also looks at ways to relieve transmission congestion.

As they prepare long-term recommendations, the companies are seeking input from a variety of sources, including regulators, power producers and other utilities. More information about the effort is available on the CapX 2020 website.