The North Dakota Public Service Commission has scheduled a series of hearings on a controversial high-voltage transmission line between Jamestown and Ellendale, using a new format that separates technical and public testimony, according to Jeff Beach.
Technical hearings on the JETx project will be held January 8th and 9th in Bismarck, where Otter Tail Power Company and Montana-Dakota Utilities will present details on the 92-mile, 345-kilovolt line. Public hearings follow on January 12th in Ellendale, January 14th in Edgeley, and January 16th in Jamestown.
PSC Chair Randy Christmann said the split format, enabled by legislation passed in 2025, prevents the public from waiting hours through technical testimony before commenting. The change was supported by groups like Dakota Resource Council after lengthy pipeline hearings saw residents wait up to eight hours to testify, according to extensive reporting by the North Dakota Monitor.
The project received a certificate of need in November but still requires a route permit. All hearings are open to the public and will be livestreamed on the PSC website.
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