About the project
The proposed Pioneer-to-Patent Gate 345-kV (kilovolt) electric transmission line project will strengthen the region's transmission load-serving capability and address existing reliability constraints. The project includes approximately 50 miles of new 345-kV transmission line between the existing Pioneer Generation Station 345-kV substation northwest of Williston, North Dakota, and the existing Patent Gate 345-kV substation near Arnegard in western North Dakota.
As part of the project, Basin Electric is coordinating efforts with members Mountrail-Williams Electric Cooperative (Mountrail-Williams) and Lower Yellowstone Electric Cooperative (Lower Yellowstone) for a new 115-kV transmission line from Pioneer Generation Station substation to Lower Yellowstone’s existing Sanderson substation near the North Dakota-Montana border. Basin Electric and Mountrail-Williams will construct part of the Pioneer-to-Patent Gate transmission line as a double-circuit 345/115-kV transmission line to accommodate the Pioneer-Sanderson 115-kV circuit. Lower Yellowstone will construct a new terminal at the existing Sanderson substation to accommodate the new 115-kV transmission line. Basin Electric will construct a new terminal for the line at its existing 115-kV Pioneer Generation Station substation.
Southwest Power Pool (SPP) is the regional transmission organization responsible for administering bulk electric transmission system reliability upgrades and generation interconnections, approved the project through its 2024 Integrated Transmission Planning study process. In 2025, SPP issued Basin Electric an Approved Reliability Network upgrade notice, designating Basin Electric as the designated transmission owner for the project.
Construction of the transmission line and substation work is scheduled to begin in 2029 and is expected to take approximately 12 months.
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