Subd. 1. List.

The commission shall maintain a list of certified high-voltage transmission line projects.

Subd. 2. List development.

1. (a) By November 1 of each odd-numbered year, each public utility, municipal utility, and cooperative electric association, or the generation and transmission organization that serves each utility or association, that owns or operates electric transmission lines in Minnesota shall jointly or individually submit a transmission projects report to the commission. The report must:

   1. (1) list specific present and reasonably foreseeable future inadequacies in the transmission system in Minnesota;
   2. (2) identify alternative means of addressing each inadequacy listed;
   3. (3) identify general economic, environmental, and social issues associated with each alternative; and
   4. (4) provide a summary of public input the utilities and associations have gathered related to the list of inadequacies and the role of local government officials and other interested persons in assisting to develop the list and analyze alternatives.
2. (b) To meet the requirements of this subdivision, entities may rely on available information and analysis developed by a regional transmission organization or any subgroup of a regional transmission organization and may develop and include additional information as necessary.

Subd. 3. Commission approval.

By June 1 of each even-numbered year, the commission shall adopt a state transmission project list and shall certify, certify as modified, or deny certification of the projects proposed under subdivision 2. The commission may only certify a project that is a high-voltage transmission line as defined in section 216B.2421, subdivision 2, that the commission finds is:

1. (1) necessary to maintain or enhance the reliability of electric service to Minnesota consumers;
2. (2) needed, applying the criteria in section 216B.243, subdivision 3; and
3. (3) in the public interest, taking into account electric energy system needs and economic, environmental, and social interests affected by the project.

Subd. 4. List; effect.

Certification of a project as a priority electric transmission project satisfies section 216B.243. A certified project on which construction has not begun more than six years after being placed on the list, must be reapproved by the commission.

Subd. 5. Transmission inventory.

The Department of Commerce shall create, maintain, and update annually an inventory of transmission lines in the state.

Subd. 6. Exclusion.

This section does not apply to any transmission line proposal that has been approved by, or was pending before, a local unit of government, the Environmental Quality Board, or the Public Utilities Commission on August 1, 2001.

Subd. 7. Transmission needed to support renewable resources.

Each entity subject to this section shall determine necessary transmission upgrades to support development of renewable energy resources required to meet objectives under section 216B.1691 and shall include those upgrades in its report under subdivision 2.