OAH 15-2500-20665-2

PUC No.  E-002/TL-09-246

 

 

STATE OF MINNESOTA

OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS

 

FOR THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION

 

 

In the Matter of the Application for a Route Permit for the Monticello to

St. Cloud 345 kV Transmission Line Project

NOTICE OF

PREHEARING CONFERENCE

SEPTEMBER 25, 2009

 

 

 

          This matter was referred to the Office of Administrative Hearings for a contested case proceeding, by Notice and Order for Hearing issued by the Public Utilities Commission on July 10, 2009.  The Public Utilities Commission has jurisdiction over applications for route permits for large energy facilities, including this transmission line project, pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 216E.02, subd. 2.

          At the time that the Commission’s Order was issued, the only party to this proceeding was the Applicants, Xcel Energy and Great River Energy.  The Department of Commerce, Office of Energy Security, Energy Facility Permitting Staff, has given notice of its intent to participate pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 216E.03. 

To date, no petitions to intervene have been filed with the Administrative Law Judge.  Persons who have filed a Notice of Appearance without filing a petition to intervene must file the petition, as set forth in the Order, below.

          Any person may appear at the hearings and offer testimony and exhibits without the necessity of intervening as a formal party to the proceedings.  The Administrative Law Judge may allow any person to ask questions of other witnesses.

Any person may view and print all documents filed in this proceeding, with the exception of trade secret information, through the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission website, by clicking on “search edockets,” and entering the year (09) and number (246) for this proceeding into the “Basic Search.”

Advice concerning the procedures to be followed in this proceeding is available from staff attorneys at the Office of Administrative Hearings.  In addition, the Office of Energy Security Facilities Permitting staff has been authorized to name a public advisor.  Pursuant to Minn. R. 7849.5250, the public advisor is available to answer questions from the public about the permitting process.

ORDER

          IT IS HEREBY ORDERED:

1.               A prehearing conference will be held on September 25, 2009, at 9:30 a.m. at the Public Utilities Commission, 121 Seventh Place East, Suite 350, St. Paul, MN.

2.               Any person who desires to intervene in this contested case as a party shall file a written petition to intervene with the Administrative Law Judge and shall serve the petition upon all existing parties, as set forth in Minn. R. 1400.6200.

3.               Any party may object to the petition for intervention by filing a written notice of objection with the Administrative Law Judge within seven days of service of the petition, stating the party’s reasons of objection, and shall serve a copy of the notice of objection on all other parties and the person seeking intervention.

4.               The deadline to petition for intervention will be set at the prehearing conference.

5.               Immediately following the prehearing conference, an informational session will be held for all interested persons to explain the electronic filing system (“edocket”), and the process for parties to file information requests (IRs), typically used in lieu of discovery in matters pending before the Public Utilities Commission.  Familiarity with these processes is essential for any person who seeks to participate as a party to this proceeding.

6.               Any person who needs an accommodation for a disability or appointment of an interpreter to participate in the Prehearing Conference shall notify the Office of Administrative Hearings by September 18, 2009.

7.               This Order is being sent to all persons on the Public Utilities Commission service list for this proceeding.  Any subsequent service in this contested case proceeding will be limited to parties to this proceeding. 

 

Dated:  August 12, 2009

                                                                      s/Beverly Jones Heydinger

BEVERLY JONES HEYDINGER

Administrative Law Judge

 

 

 

Minnesota Office of Administrative Hearings

600 North Robert Street

Saint Paul, Minnesota 55101

 

Mailing Address:                                                                                                                                                                                Voice:   (651) 361-7900

P.O. Box 64620                                                                                                                                                                                     TTY:      (651) 361-7878

St. Paul, Minnesota 55164-0620                                                                                                                                                     Fax:       (651) 361-7936

 

 

August 12, 2009

 

See Attached Service List

 

 

Re:     In the Matter of the Application for a Route Permit for the

          Monticello to St. Cloud 345 kV Transmission Line Project

          OAH 15-2500-20665-2; PUC No. E-002/TL-09-246

 

Dear Parties:

 

          The document listed below has been filed with the E-Docket system and served as specified on the attached service list.

 

Notice of Prehearing Conference September 25, 2009

 

                                                                      Sincerely,

 

                                                                      s/Beverly Jones Heydinger

 

                                                                      BEVERLY JONES HEYDINGER

                                                                      Administrative Law Judge

 

                                                                      Telephone: (651) 361-7838

BJH:nh

 

 

Enclosure