In a surprise move before a standing-room only crowd, the Mendota Heights City Council voted to deny Xcel Energy¹s request for a conditional use permit to upgrade part of its transmission line that runs through the city. When the council adjourned two weeks ago, after two days of sometimes grueling testimony, it appeared that the council had all but voted to grant the permit, with Council Members Mary Jeanne Schneeman, Mike Dwyer and Jack Vitelli voting to do so; Council Member Sandra Krebsbach and Mayor Chuck Mertensotto opposed the measure. The motion was tabled to work out wording issues with Xcel, and on Thursday Schneeman switched her vote and decided to deny the request, saying that the issue was larger than Mendota Heights and needed to be decided in a larger arena — that is, the courts.

Mendota Heights will likely get its chance, as Xcel spokesman Ed Legge said the company "will take the steps taken in other communities." It currently has an appeal pending in a previous lawsuit it brought against Mendota Heights over the power line, and last week filed a lawsuit against Sunfish Lake, which last month also voted to deny the permit. It also brought a suit against South St. Paul when that city stipulated that the line be buried, with costs borne systemwide, but the city settled with Xcel in November.

The legal action is provided as recourse for the company as a regulated utility, Legge said. "Our duty is to ensure we provide reliable and low-cost power." In question is a 115 kilovolt power line that Xcel wants to rebuild on new, taller poles, adding 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. A second phase would take it to Bloomington.

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

About 70 people showed up for the meeting, and about 15 gave brief statements opposing the permit request. Tamara Will also presented a petition gathered in the past week or so, with signatures from 740 Mendota Heights' residents opposing the line upgrade. The transmission line runs through her back yard.