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Stories of Impact

Navigating the Complexities of a Massive Multi-Utility Transmission Expansion

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Our Story

When 11 electric utilities across Minnesota and surrounding states embarked on the largest coordinated electric transmission expansion ever undertaken in the upper Midwest region, they tapped Pioneer to provide critical program management services to navigate the complexities. With nearly $2 billion invested, the initiative involved building and upgrading hundreds of miles of transmission lines and over 20 substations to meet the region's growing energy demands.

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The Challenge

With rising energy demand in the upper Midwest, aging infrastructure, and the desire to increase renewable energy sources, the region faced a critical need to expand and modernize the electric transmission grid. The scale of the needed infrastructure expansion to bolster capacity and reliability was unprecedented.

Our Approach

To deliver this monumental effort, Pioneer established and operated the Program Management Office (PMO), providing:

  • Program & Project Management

  • Governance Model Creation

  • Risk Management

  • Strategic Sourcing

  • Project Controls

  • Contract Administration

Remarkable Results

Through strong collaboration and rigorous program management, the effort was successfully completed from start to finish, yielding huge benefits:

  • On-time delivery of the largest regional transmission project in decades

  • Expanded grid to meet rising energy demands

  • Enhanced reliability for millions of customers

  • Reduced congestion to prevent outages

  • Platform for future grid modernization

Pioneer Insights

  • Managing multiple utility stakeholders required early engagement and clear communications.

  • Thoroughly mapping dependencies and risks enabled proactive mitigation.

  • Strict contract management prevented cost overruns from major contractors

Fast Facts

  • Executed on-time and on-budget
  • Over 600 miles of new transmission lines
  • Over 20 new and modified substations
  • Enhanced electric reliability for millions of customers
  • Largest single transmission initiative in the region in decades

Let's Partner To Meet Your Critical Infrastructure Goals!

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With over 15 years managing $6B in utility infrastructure programs and proven results delivering PMO, project management, and controls for the nation’s largest electric initiatives, our Energy and Infrastructure team has the cross-functional expertise to guide your most critical capital projects.