MINNEAPOLIS - A citizens' group fighting Xcel Energy's plan to expand a high-voltage transmission line through the Twin Cities' southeast suburbs has filed a lawsuit in Hennepin County District Court to stop construction on the project.

Xcel plans to upgrade a single-circuit 115-kilovolt line to a double-circuit 115-kilovolt line along the existing 14.7 mile route.

The Power Line Task Force claims Xcel has not obtained a required certificate of need from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission or a permit from the Minnesota Environmental Quality Board as required under a state law that took effect in August 2001.

Xcel spokesman Ed Legge said those issues were considered in a previous lawsuit to force the city of Sunfish Lake to issue a permit for the project. Dakota County District Judge Rex Stacey ruled that because Xcel applied for approval of the project before the 2001 law took effect, the law did not apply.

Information from: Star Tribune