NO765MN group stands against transmission line, data centers
A group called "NO765MN" is actively opposing the proposed Gopher to Badger Link transmission line and related data center developments across southern Minnesota and Wisconsin. Residents are concerned about the impact of hyperscale data centers, including Google's Project Skyway, and are seeking legal and political avenues to halt the projects. They are advocating for alternative transmission technologies and urging local governments to pass resolutions against the high-voltage lines.
The "NO765MN" group, comprising approximately 50 residents from southern Minnesota and Wisconsin, recently convened in Caledonia, Minnesota, to strategize against the proposed “Gopher to Badger Link” 765 kilovolt (kV) transmission line project. This line is part of the Midcontinent Independent System Operator’s (MISO) Long Range Transmission Planning (LRTP) portfolio, approved in 2024, and is slated to run through Houston, Fillmore, Mower, and Olmsted counties in Minnesota, as well as Crawford and Vernon counties in Wisconsin. The group, which has garnered over 600 Facebook followers and raised over $4,000, aims to intervene in the regulatory process, with attorney Carol Overland advising on navigating the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) eDockets system.
A major point of contention is the connection between the transmission line and projected data center growth. Xcel Energy and Echo Zone, LLC (a Google subsidiary), have filed an application with the MPUC for a Route Permit for the North Rochester to Skyway High Voltage Transmission Line Project, which would connect Xcel Energy’s existing North Rochester Substation to new substations supporting “Project Skyway.” Project Skyway, near Pine Island, Minnesota, encompasses 482 acres for a technology center primarily consisting of data centers. While Xcel Energy asserts these transmission projects are not specifically tied to individual data centers, the Gopher to Badger Link's Certificate of Need document acknowledges that data center growth could significantly increase demand forecasts, citing Meta’s UMore Park and Nobles County Powered Data Park as examples of potential large load additions.
Residents, including farmer Kyle Johnson and Sheila Schroeder, voiced strong opposition to these “hyperscale mega data centers,” arguing they offer no local benefit and primarily serve AI development. They advocate for alternatives like High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission, which can be buried, despite developers claiming it’s not feasible for the project’s length. Local political action is also being pursued, with Faribault County Commissioner Gertrude Paschke seeking resolutions from commissioners to oppose the 765 kV line, following a similar resolution filed by Houston County in February.