October 16, 2019
Award of Merit Energy/Industrial: Big Stone South to Ellendale, 345Kv Power Transmission Line
Big Stone South to Ellendale, 345-Kv Power Transmission Line
Milbank, S.D., to Ellendale, N.D.
Award of Merit
Owner: Otter Tail Power
Partners: Montana Dakota Utilities
Lead Design Firm: Power Engineers
Prime Contractor: Brink Constructors Inc.
Environmental Engineer: HDR
Construction Management: Beste Consulting
Civil Construction General Contractor: Tri-State Drilling
Subcontractors: A&I Services; Dahn Construction; Fiber Network Solutions; KLJ; Power Consulting Associates; Webster Scale; Winco Powerline Services
This project installed a 163-mile-long, 345-kV extra high-voltage power transmission line from South Dakota to North Dakota. Designed to withstand harsh elements, the power line features monopole tubular steel on concrete drilled-pier foundations with a bundle twisted-pair 477-T2 ACSR conductor. The footprint was minimized on landowners’ fields, while the route avoided buildings and excessive tree removal and minimized obstruction of crop land.