It is reported that a Minnesota administrative law judge is recommending that state regulators approve the construction of 37 miles of 230 kV transmission lines in northern Minnesota to feed power into a soon to be reactivated steel mill.
Mr Eric Lipman Administrative Law Judge recommended on June 3rd 2010 that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission grant ALLETE Inc division Minnesota Power Inc and municipal utility Nashwauk Public Utilities Commission a permit to build four overhead lines to supply power to the former Butler Taconite mine in Itasca County.
Essar Steel Minnesota LLC, owned by the India based Essar Group, has received state approvals to reopen the mine, first by building a taconite pellet plant in 2011 and then constructing a steel production plant by 2013. Ultimately, the plants will produce up to 4 million tonnes of taconite, 1.8 million tonnes of reduced iron and 1.5 million tonnes of steel annually.
If approved, Minnesota Power would run lines from three substations, the Boswell, Shannon and Blackberry stations, to two new stations on Essar Steel's property. The lines would cut through rugged forestland and follow some highways, roads and existing transmission corridors, according to Lipman's findings of fact.
A fourth line would run between the two planned substations, the Essar Mine Substation and Essar Steel Plant Substation. Altogether, the lines and substations are expected to cost between USD 74.6 million and USD 78.3 million, depending on the routes selected.
Residents have expressed concerns about several of the lines' routes, fearing they will lower property values, dissect properties and agricultural lands and potentially harm those living nearby.
Mr Lipman said that scientific evidence has yet to prove that electromagnetic field exposure from transmission lines presents a human health hazard, and the effects the lines might have on property values can not be projected with certainty.
He added that "Confident projections are particularly difficult in this instance because residential property sales dropped in Itasca County by 33% during the period between 2005 and 2008, while the number of foreclosures increased over the prior period."
(Sourced from www.snl.com)
