NextGen Highways Feasibility Study for the Minnesota Department of Transportation: Buried High-Voltage Direct Current Transmission

The NextGen Highways Team worked with an internal working group at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to investigate the opportunities and barriers associated with locating buried high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission and fiber within the highway right-of-way (ROW). This Feasibility Study reviewed applicable policy, regulation, and projects; analyzed MnDOT-specific concerns; examined HVDC transmission line requirements; assessed buried HVDC cost and benefits; and broadly evaluated typical highway ROW design for suitability of HVDC transmission line siting. The findings from this study demonstrate that buried HVDC transmission is cost-effective and can be feasibly sited in interstate and highway ROW after making appropriate consideration for existing and future transportation system needs. While the team identified challenges over the course of this study, none of those challenges appear to pose barriers that cannot be overcome.

View the full study here: NexGen Highways Analysis Report