After eight hours of testimony spread over two days, the Mendota Heights City Council almost made a decision on a permit for a controversial power line upgrade.

At 10 minutes after midnight on Thursday, the council adjourned, agreeing to table the matter and reconsider resolutions both for denial and granting of a conditional use permit for Xcel Energy.

The council heard from Xcel on Tuesday night at its regularly scheduled meeting, recessed after three hours, and continued testimony from opponents of the line on Wednesday, with close questioning of a highly emotional and technically complex matter. The council did not begin its own deliberations until about 10:30 p.m., and appeared close to granting the request, but could not agree on language of the conditions with Xcel. Xcel agreed to continue the matter until the next council meeting March 7, with the explicit promise there would be no legal action because of the delay. Xcel is appealing a lawsuit it mounted against the city in which it said Mendota Heights had violated a time limit for deciding the same matter under consideration.

Xcel wants to rebuild its 115 kilovolt power line on new, taller poles and add an additional circuit to help offset potential power failures. The line would stretch from Newport and run through South St. Paul, Inver Grove Heights, Sunfish Lake and Mendota Heights, with a second, later phase that would take it to Bloomington.

Opponents of the proposed power line have raised objections about adverse health effects of the electric and magnetic fields generated by the line, as well as the potential to lower property values.