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Extra-long Semi Load Rolls into Riverview Project: GRE Delivers Transformer to New Substation

A large 333 megavolt-ampere transformer weighing in at 366,000 pounds traveled by rail car from Montgomery, Ala., to St. Cloud, Minnesota, where it was loaded on a football-field-length truck last week.
 
This massive truck and trailer traveled during late night hours along backroads from St. Cloud to Freeport for approximately another 35 miles until it was safely delivered at 2 a.m. to the new Great River Energy Riverview Substation.

This $16.1 million transmission project is needed to help with reliability in the area. The area has seen winter overload conditions, which prompted the need to add voltage support.

The Riverview project includes building a 345/115/69-kV substation by adding two large power transformers and breakers. The substation is uniquely positioned such that Great River Energy could easily tap the 345-kV CapX2020 line and reduce line construction costs.

The project will also help create an additional fiber path between Quarry and Alexandria. This will enable a future path for substation communications and help bolster telecommunications.

As part of the environmental restoration process, native habitat will be planted around the substation once construction is complete. A new prairie will sprout, including blooms such as milkweed, clover and big bluestem. This will provide several environmental benefits.

The project is expected to be completed in February 2019.

Great River Energy is a not-for-profit wholesale electric power cooperative which provides electricity to 28 member-owner distribution cooperatives, including Stearns Electric Association. Together, our systems provide power to approximately two-thirds of Minnesota geographically and parts of Wisconsin, serving 695,000 families, farms and businesses. With $4.1 billion in assets, Great River Energy is the second largest electric power supplier in Minnesota and one of the largest generation and transmission cooperatives in the nation.

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