JETx kicked off in early 2023, and a series of open houses were held in June, July, and September 2023.

In early 2024, an application for a Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity was submitted to the North Dakota Public Service Commission (PSC) and later approved in November 2024. Right-of-way agents continue to work with landowners and approximately 70% of easements have been signed as of August 2025.

In August 2025, a combined application for a Certificate of Corridor Compatibility and Route Permit was submitted to the PSC. The PSC will review the application and hold a public hearing(s) before making a decision on the application. We anticipate an in-service date in 2028.

JETx offers significant reliability benefits to the local area by introducing a new 345-kV transmission source into the existing Jamestown Substation and the Ellendale Substation. It is one of 18 new transmission projects in the Upper Midwest identified by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) in Tranche 1 of their Long-Range Transmission Planning effort. This project will help enhance electric reliability, increase resiliency to extreme weather events, reduce transmission congestion, and increase access to low-cost energy in the region.

North Dakota customers, regardless of their electric service provider, rely on a common transmission system to deliver their electricity needs. This common transmission system is interconnected to allow for the reliable and efficient delivery of electricity. Otter Tail Power has existing transmission lines that are interconnected with Western Area Power Administration and Central Power Electric Cooperative near Jamestown while Montana-Dakota Utilities has transmission lines that are interconnected with NorthWestern Energy near Ellendale. JETx will provide a new transmission path for electricity to flow to customers in the event that other existing transmission lines are unavailable.

The typical structure will be approximately 150-foot-high, single-pole, self-weathering steel with double-circuit capability, meaning it can support a second set of conductors. Each structure will have an approximate diameter ranging from 7 to 14 feet, and the total permanent land impact for the JETx transmission structures will be less than two acres. While this is the proposed design, the structure type may vary for numerous reasons.

No portion of JETx is proposed to be constructed as underground transmission. While it is common for lower-voltage distribution lines to be buried, it is rare for high-voltage transmission lines (HVTLs) to be constructed underground. Transmission lines can be placed underground, but there are several drawbacks to underground transmission as compared to overhead transmission:

• Greater impacts to right of way due to continuous trenching and boring that would be required for installation.
• Construction typically takes approximately three to five times longer than overhead transmission due to the trenching and boring associated with the installation resulting in additional project costs.
• Installation of large underground vaults housing cable splices would be required approximately every 1,200 feet, creating greater impacts to farming.
• Extended outage times to identify, repair, and restore damaged cables.
• Transition stations are required where the line transitions between overhead and underground, each requiring approximately 1-2 acres of land for fencing, an access road, and lighting. This land would need to be purchased, adding to project cost and permanently removing land from current farm production at these locations.
• Higher costs than overhead transmission due to the specialized equipment, labor associated with construction, and a lower life expectancy, which requires replacement sooner than overhead transmission facilities.

In short, underground 345-kV lines have significantly greater impacts on landowners, resulting in extended outage times and costs much more than overhead transmission lines.

JETx is not being built because of one specific entity or project. The purpose of the JETx line is to enhance overall reliability and reduce generator congestion of the grid not only in North Dakota, but across the Upper Midwest. Future and current energy generation resources may want to connect to this line and would be subject to separate regulatory processes, including the MISO interconnection process.

The best way to stay informed in this process is to visit this website, send us an email at connect@JamestowntoEllendale.com or call 888-794-6243 with questions, comments, or concerns. Landowners within the route corridor will receive information throughout project development.