PUBLIC NOTICE
Re: Notice of Midwater BESS, LLC’s Filing of a Joint Application for a Site Permit and Route Permit with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
MPUC Docket Nos. IP-7138/ESS-24-294 and IP-7138/TL-24-295

Midwater BESS, LLC (Midwater BESS or Applicant), a wholly owned indirect subsidiary of Spearmint Renewable Development Company, LLC (Spearmint Energy), proposes to construct and operate an up to 150 megawatt (MW) alternating current (AC) battery energy storage system (BESS) and associated facilities (BESS Facility), and an approximately 2,668-foot long 161 kilovolt (kV) high voltage transmission line (HVTL) and associated facilities (HVTL Facility) to interconnect the BESS Facility to the grid (the Midwater Energy Storage Project, or the Project). The Project is planned to be located in Shell Rock Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota.
This notice provides formal notice that Midwater BESS filed a Joint Application for a Site Permit and HVTL Route Permit (Application) with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission or MPUC) for the Project (MPUC Docket Nos. IP-7138/ESS-24-294 [BESS Facility Site Permit] and IP-7138/TL-24-295 [HVTL Facility Route Permit]) pursuant to the alternative permitting process contained in Minn. Stat. § 216E.04 and Minn. R. parts 7850.2800 to 7850.3900. This notice also provides information on the Project and the permitting process, as well as information on how to register your name with the Commission on the Project contact list to ensure that you receive future notices.

PROJECT LOCATION AND DESCRIPTION
The Project is located in Shell Rock Township, Freeborn County, Minnesota. The Project is situated on approximately 104.4 acres of privately owned land, of which approximately 17 acres will be for the operation of the BESS Facility.
The BESS Facility will consist of inverters and transformers, electrical feeder lines, a substation, a potential operations and maintenance (O&M) facility, temporary laydown areas, storage and parking areas, access roads, fencing, and other minor equipment and subcomponents as are typical of a BESS. The Project will interconnect to the existing ITC Midwest Glenworth Substation via the HVTL Facility. The anticipated HVTL Facility design consists of four to six steel monopoles with a typical height range from 60 to 90 feet above the ground with spans of approximately 164 to 863 feet.
The accompanying map outlines the location of the Project.

PROPERTY ACQUISITION
Midwater BESS has secured all necessary land rights for construction and operation of the proposed Project through an option agreement to purchase the land for the BESS Facility and lease agreements for the HVTL Facility necessary to connect the BESS Facility to the ITC Midwest Glenworth Substation.

SITE PERMIT AND ROUTE PERMIT PROCESS
Before the Project can be constructed, it requires a site permit for the BESS Facility, and a route permit for the HVTL Facility, from the Commission. The Power Plant Siting Act (Minn. Stat. Ch. 216E) and Minn. R. parts 7850.1000 to 7850.5600 establish the requirements for submitting and processing site permit and route permit applications. The statutes and rules also establish notice requirements for various stages of the process. The Application will be considered by the Commission under the alternative permitting process in Minn. Stat. § 216E.04 and Minn. R. parts 7850.2800 to 7850.3900. The Commission has up to six months from the time the Application is accepted as complete to process and make a decision on the Application according to Minn. Stat. § 216E.04, subd. 7, and Minn. R. 7850.3900, subp. 1. The Commission may extend this time limit for up to three months for just cause or upon agreement of the applicant.
Within 60 days after the Commission accepts the Application as complete, the Commission and the Department of Commerce, Energy Environmental Review and Analysis (EERA) unit will hold a public information and scoping meeting to provide information and seek comments from the public. At this meeting, members of the public may comment on the scope of the environmental assessment and/or propose additional issues for consideration in the environmental assessment that the EERA will prepare. Once the public meeting is scheduled, notice of the meeting will be provided to persons whose names are on the Project contact list and will be published in a legal newspaper of general circulation in the Project area.
After the environmental assessment has been completed, EERA will make the document available for public review and a public hearing will be held on the Application. Any person may speak at the public hearing, present documentary evidence, ask questions of Midwater BESS’s representatives and EERA staff, and submit comments.
Further details regarding upcoming meetings and comment periods on the Application will be provided by Midwater BESS, EERA, and/or the Commission in the future.

CERTIFICATE OF NEED
A Certificate of Need is not required from the Commission for the Project. The Project is exempt from Certificate of Need requirements pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 216B.243, subd. 8(9)–(10).

HOW TO LEARN MORE
For more information about the regulatory process or to have your name included on the Project mailing lists, contact:

Minnesota Public Utilities Commission Staff Analysts
Trevor Culbertson at trevor.culbertson@state.mn.us or (651) 201-2200.
Scott Ek at scott.ek@state.mn.us or (651) 201-2255.
www.mn.gov/puc

Minnesota Department of Commerce Environmental Review Manager
Jim Sullivan at jim.sullivan@state.mn.us or 651-539-1059.
www.mn.gov/commerce/energyfacilities

There are two options for citizens, landowners, and interested persons to receive Project information:
1. Sign up for the Project Mailing List. To sign up to receive notices about Project milestones and opportunities to participate (meetings, comment periods, etc.) email eservice.admin@state.mn.us or call (651) 201-2246 with the docket number (IP-7138/ESS-24-294 [BESS Facility Site Permit] and IP-7138/TL-24-295 [HVTL Facility Route Permit]), your name, mailing address and email address. You may request to receive notices by email or U.S. Mail.
2. Subscribe to the Docket. To receive email notifications when new documents are filed in the dockets visit: https://www.edockets.state.mn.us/EFiling, select Subscribe to Dockets and follow the prompts.
Note – subscribing may result in a large number of emails.

Current information about the Project and Application is available at the Project website: www.midwaterbattery.com.
A copy of the Application is also available for review at the Albert Lea Public Library located at 211 E Clark St, Albert Lea, MN 56007.
Additional information may be obtained by calling Mary Matze at (786) 321-9379 or by emailing Team@MidwaterBattery.com.