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Unique features make our system reliable and efficient It takes 102 substations, 4,500 miles of transmission lines including a unique HVDC transmission line, and strategically located technicians to meet the daily needs of our 28 member cooperatives. Read more below or view our transmission brochure. |
Our HVDC line is unique
Although nearly all transmission lines transport alternating current (AC) electricity (the same type of current that goes into your home) Great River Energy’s transmission system includes a 400-kV HVDC transmission line. It transports electricity from Great River Energy’s largest generation facility, Coal Creek Station in Underwood, N.D. and was developed when designers determined that it would be more efficient and reliable to transmit energy across North Dakota over an HVDC transmission line, and then convert it to AC for transmission within Minnesota. The HVDC line:
The Dickinson Converter Station is part of the HVDC system
This is where Great River Energy’s HVDC line ends and the power that has been carried across North Dakota is converted back to AC power for transmission within Minnesota.
Power lines and substations are the work horses of the system
Great River Energy currently owns and maintains approximately 4,500 miles of transmission line, including the very high-voltage HVDC line mentioned above. Monitoring this vast system of power lines is one of the most important jobs we have. (See Control Centers below.) We also own or partially own 102 transmission substations, which we continuously update and enhance, often as part of power line projects.
Control centers … the brains of the system Operators in the Great River Energy control center in Elk River, Minn., remotely control the transmission system using a highly reliable communications network. The control center performs critical functions needed to ensure smooth daily operations and facilitate responses during storms and heavy load situations. Our operators are in continuous contact with operators at power plants, converter stations and other utilities throughout the region. Through coordinated efforts, our operators make sure energy reaches all members and that the transmission system works as effectively as possible. |
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Strategically located staff and materials
Technicians, equipment and maintenance materials are strategically located at service centers throughout the Great River Energy service territory to help ensure reliable, responsive service to our members. Strategic locations allow technicians to respond swiftly to outages, and continually monitor and enhance the system.
MISO membership
Great River Energy is a member of the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (MISO), an independent, nonprofit organization that supports the constant availability of electricity in 15 U.S. states and Manitoba, Canada. MISO oversees more than 94,000 miles of interconnected high-voltage power lines and ensures the reliable transmission of more than 100,000 megawatts of energy in the Midwest, including Great River Energy’s 28 member cooperatives. MISO also administers one of the world’s largest energy markets, which Great River Energy can access to provide the most economical and reliable energy to our members.
