KFYR: Montana receiving $700 million from feds towards new transmission line

The state of Montana is receiving a large federal grant toward electric grid reliability.

The Montana Department of Commerce was awarded $700 million to develop the North Plains Connector, a 415-mile transmission line that will run through southern Montana and North Dakota. Substations would be located in Colstrip, St. Anthony and Center.

A release from the Department of Energy states the project would create up to 3,800 megawatts of new capacity and increase transfer capacity between regional control entities by 1,400 percent.

“Through this investment, we’re upgrading and modernizing Montana’s electrical transmission infrastructure to power our homes, schools, and businesses. I’m grateful to the Montana Department of Commerce for making this a top priority,” said Gov. Greg Gianforte, R-MT.

“North Dakota welcomes this investment in transmission infrastructure to ensure a resilient and reliable power grid. Still, in order to meet growing consumer demand for electricity and support economic expansion, we need to add transmission capacity AND build upon our existing baseload generation — not try to shut it down,” said Gov. Doug Burgum, R-ND.

The project is in the early stages, with owner Grid United planning to start regulatory filings later this year.

The funding is part of the Grid Resilience and Innovation Partnership (GRIP) program, a piece of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.

“This project will create good-paying jobs in eastern Montana, protect our energy grid from natural disaster, and expand our energy portfolio to lower energy costs for Montanans and ensure our economy remains competitive against foreign adversaries like China. I’m proud to have secured this funding, and I will keep working to ensure this project is completed effectively and efficiently,” said Sen. Jon Tester, D-MT.