STATE OF MINNESOTA OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS FOR THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION DIRECT TESTIMONY OF GRANT STEVENSON. On Behalf of APPLICANT

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EXHIBIT Direct Testimony and Schedules Grant Stevenson STATE OF MINNESOTA OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS FOR THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR A ROUTE PERMIT FOR

1 EXHIBIT Direct Testimony and Schedules Grant Stevenson STATE OF MINNESOTA OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS FOR THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR A ROUTE PERMIT FOR THE PLEASANT VALLEY TO BYRON 161 KV TRANSMISSION LINE PROJECT PUC DOCKET NO. E002/TL OAH DOCKET No DIRECT TESTIMONY OF GRANT STEVENSON On Behalf of APPLICANT NORTHERN STATES POWER COMPANY, A MINNESOTA CORPORATION October 11,2010 Exhibit

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE 1 I. INTRODUCTION AND QUALIFICATIONS 1 2 II. DOUBLE CIRCUIT STRUCTURES 3 3 III. PIPELINE STUDY 4 4 IV. CONCLUSION 6

3 1 I INTRODUCTION AND QUALIFICATIONS 2 3 Q. PLEASE STATE SURNAME AND BUSINESSADDRE^ 4 A. Mynameis Orant Stevenson and my business address is^l^nic^ 5 Minneapolis, 6 7 Q. BYWHDMAREYDUEMEEDYEDANDWHAT IS YOUR POSITION? S A lam employed byxeei Energy Sendees Inc ("XES") asaseniortransmission 9 Project Manager XES is tbe sendee provider for Northern States Power 10 Company,aMinnesota corporation ("Xcel Energy"). My resume is attached as 11 Schedule! Q. PEEASE SUMMARIZE YOUREDUOATION AND PROPESSIONAEEXPERIENOE. 14 A Igraduated from the University of^iinnesotain19s6withabachelor'sdegree in 13 Mechanical Engineering. After graduation,ijoined Northern States Power 16 Company asamechanical Engineer at the Sherburne Coun^ generating plant in 17 Becker, Minnesota. Iwasrcsponsible for managing projects to improve 18 productivity,efticicncy,and safety at the company'slargest generating plant. I 19 also managed contractors, plant operations, maintenance, and technical personal. 20 Since19S6,Ihavc held positions with Xcel Energy with increasing responsibili^ IbecameaTransmission Project Manager in September 2000 and todaylhold 23 the tide ofseniortransmission Project Manager. InmyroleasTransmission 24 Project Managerlwasaproject manager for Xcel Energy's823 megawatt 23 ("MW) wind outlet transmission projects in southwestern Minnesota from until The project included more than 300 miles oftransmission lines and 1 PUCDocketNoE002/TI^ OAlTDockctNo

4 1 affected 29 substations fn August 2006fwas promoted to SeniorTransmission 2 Project Manager, fprovide strategic leadership and am responsible for capital 3 project scope, cost, schedule, and risk management for the PleasantValley to 4.Byronf^fkVTransmission Project ("Project") in addition to several other Xcei 5 EnergyprojcctsincludingtheCapX2020Hampton^Rochcstcr^La Crosse kvproject My resume is attached as Schedule!. 7 S Q. FORWHOMAREYOUTESTIFYING? 9 A. lam providing testimony on behalf ofxcelenergy,the Applicant foraroute 10 Permit in this proceeding, fl 12 QD WHATISTHE PURPOSE DEVOUR TESTIMONY INTHIS PROCEEDING? 13 A. The purpose of my testimony is to provide information about Xcel Energy's 14 request to have the flexibility to use double circuit structures foraportion of the 13 Project, lam also providing testimony regarding the potential issues involved 16 with the close proximity ofatransmission line andanatural gas pipeline given 17 thatashort segment of the Preferred Route shares the same road corridor asa 15 pipeline Q. WEREVOU INVOLVED INTHEPREPARATIONOEXOEUENERO^S ROUTE 21 PERMITAPPEIOATIONINTPIIS PROCEEDING? 22 A. Yes. Icontributed to the engineering and Project management sections of the 23 Route Permit Application ("Application") and was involved in the routing 24 analysis Q. WHATSCHEDUEESAREATTACHED TO YOUR TESTIMONY? 2 PUC DocketNo E002/TL OALlDockctNol

5 1 A Scheduled CVof Grant Stevenson 2 Sehednle^ Map ofpipeline and Potential Double Cirenit Area 3 4 Q. ARE YOUAVAH^BLE TO PROVIDE TEST^ 5 SECTIONS OETHE ROUTE PERMIT ARREIOATION? 6 A Yes. lam testifying In support of portions of Cbapter^of the Route Perrnit 7 Application including Seetions35(ProjectSebedule)and 3.6 (Project Cost), and S portions ofcbapter5includingsections5.f (Transmission Structures and Right 9 ofway Design) and 5.3^ransmissionEine Construction, Restoration and fo fl Maintenance) 12 IT DOUBLE CIRCUIT STRUCTURES Q. YOU MENTIONED THAT XOEEENEROVIS REQUESTING THE REEXIBIEITVTO 13 USE DOUREE CIRCUIT STRUCTURES EORARORTIONOETHE ROUTED WHVIS 16 THISEEEXIRIEITVNEEDED? 17 A After the tiling ofthe Application, Xcei Energy became aware that Pleasant 18 Valley Wind, EEC ("PVW") is seeldng local approval foral3skv transmission 19 line that it plans to construct near the PleasantValley Substation in Mower 20 County. This proposed 138 kvlinc shares the Preferred Route for this Project 21 forl3miles along 680^Avenue The map attached to my testimony as 22 Schedule2shows the portion of the Preferred Route that overlaps with PVW^s 23 proposed l38kvline. Atthis time, Xcel Energy and PVWare exploring the 24 possibility of double circuiting Xcel Energy'sproposedl61kVtransmission line 23 withpa^wsproposedl38kvline to reduce impacts to landowners. Asaresult, 26 Xcel Energy requests the flexibihty to use double circuit structures for this 3 PUCDocketNoE002/TE09l313 OAldDocketNol (12

1 portion of the route if an agreements 2 tionhie circuit these two transmission hnes. 3 4 Q. fntheeventthatanagreementisreache^whattypeofdou^^ 5 CIRCUIT STRUCTURES DOES XCELENERGYPROPOSE TO USE?

6 1 portion of the route if an agreements 2 tionhie circuit these two transmission hnes. 3 4 Q. fntheeventthatanagreementisreache^whattypeofdou^^ 5 CIRCUIT STRUCTURES DOES XCELENERGYPROPOSE TO USE? 6 A The proposed structures wouiti he single pole, weathering steel tiouhle circuit davit arm structures. The height of the douhle circuit structures will range from 8 90tofl0feet. The spans hetween structures will ^pically range from 400 to feet with a right-of-way of 80 feet. Structure hase diameters for tangent fo structures will he 36 to 54 inches and will he 48 to 84 inches for angle structures. 11 The foundation diameter for these douhlc circuit structures will he6to9fcct HL PIPELfNE STUDY Q. YOUMENTIONEDTHATTHEREISARORTION OFTHE PREFERRED ROUTE 16 THATSHARESTHE SAME ROAD CORRIDORASANATURAECASRIREEINE. 17 WHERE ISTHIS PORTION OETHE ROUTE? 18 A. The Preferred Route for this Project shares the same road corridor as an existing 19 Northern Natural Gas ("NNG") underground natural gas pipeline forashort 20 segment of the route along 680^ Street. The area of corridor sharing heginsata 21 valve station located on the cast side of680^avenuehe^innin^ncouartcr mile ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ 22 north of510^ Street and continuing to the ^t^napproximatelyl.25 miles, fhe 25 map attached to my testimony as Schcdulc2shows the location of this pipeline 24 in relation to the Preferred Route. 25 PUC DocketNo E002/TE GAhl Docket No l

7 1 QD CANYOUDESCRIBE THE POTENTIAL ISSUES THAT ARISE WHENA 2 TRANSMISSION EINEANDAPIPEEINESHARETHE SAME CORRIDOR? 3 A SteelpipeUncs which arcbutied in the earth must beprot^ 4 Thisis typicaiiy aecompiishedhy appiyingaprotectivecoatingon the^^^ 5 usingacathodie protection system. The pipeline along 680^ Street ntiiizes 6 an epoxy coating and a direct current ("DC") impressed voltage cathodic 7 protectionsystem. Thesystem typicauyoperatesat less than two volts. When S an alternadngcurrcnt ("AC") transmissionlineis installedneara steelpipeline, 9 the transmission line can induccasmall voltage on the pipeline that can interfere 10 with the pipclinc'scathodic protection system and cause corrosion. If 12 Q. WHATMETHODSOANREUSEDTO REDUCE OR ELIMINATE INDUCED 13 VOLTACEONARIRELINE LOCATED NEARATRANSMISSION LINE? 14 A Induced voltage can he reduced or eliminated hy physically separating the 13 transmission line and pipeline hy some distance In addition, minor 16 moditicationsto the transmission line design or changesto the pipeline cathodic 17 protection system can also he used to reduce or eliminate induced voltage Q. WHAT STEPS DOES XCELENERCYRROROSETOTAKE TO REDUCE OR 20 ELIMINATE INDUCED VOLTAOEONTHENNCPIPELINE? 21 A. Xcel Energy has commissioned anacinterference study which will determine 22 the appropriate physical separation and design changes that may he necessary for 23 this Project. The results of this study will he availahle at or hefore the Cctoher 24 26, 2010puhlic hearing PUCDockctNoE002/TL OAhlDocketNol

8 1 IV. CONCLUSION 2 3 Q. DOES THIS CONCLUDE YOUR DIRECT TESTIMONY? 4 A. Yes vl PUC Docket No. E002/TL OAH Docket No

9 Docket NO.E002/TL OAH Docket No Schedule 1 Page 1 of 2 Grant David Stevenson, PMP Xcel Energy 414 Nicollet Mall - MPS A Minneapolis, MN granc.stevenson@xcelenergy.com Experience Project Manager, Senior Project Manager 2000 to present Transmission Business Unit, Xcel Energy, Minneapolis, MN Provide strategic leadership to multidisciplinary teams on various high-profile transmission and substation projects. Work with planning, engineering, siting, construction, consultants and contractors to define scope of work, produce project estimates, gain capital spending authorization, establish project schedules, track and reconcile expenditures, gain permits, design, bid and construct capital projects to that meet budgets and in-service dates. Work extensively with the public and state regulatory officials during project permitting phases to locate new transmission lines in areas that balance issues of land use, cost, impact to people and impact to the natural environment. Participate and lead public meetings and provide testimony in permit proceedings. Recent project portfolio has included: Since 2006, project manager for CapX 2020 Fargo and LaCrosse projects. Project manager of Southwest Minnesota 825 MW wind transmission project, This $250 million project involved construction of 200 miles of new transmission lines, the reconstruction of300 miles of existing lines, and impacted 29 substations. The project also required project agreements with 11 electric utilities. SE Metro project, a rebuild of an existing 115 line to double circuit 115. Bloomington relocation project, including 115 kv double circuit underground construction. Sales and Customer Service Manager 1999 to 2000 Electric Sales and Customer Service, Northern States Power Company, Minneapolis, MN Successfully led team of 10 account representatives to meet goals in sales, customer service, demand side management and customer satisfaction. Managed projects to improve customer satisfaction and team effectiveness. Hired, trained and coached employees on energy management, conservation, distribution reliability. Energy Management Engineer, Account Executive 1990 to 1999 Northern States Power Company, Minneapolis, MN Provided effective technical support to key industrial customers and NSP sales representatives regarding energy conservation programs and initiatives. Assumed role of Account Executive in 1995, managing NSP's relationship with several demanding strategic customers. Led multidisciplinary teams to solve customer-specific electric reliability, power quality, capacity, and distribution construction problems. Plant Project Engineer 1986 to 1990 Sherburne County Generating Plant, Northern States Power Company, Becker, MN Managed contractors, directed work of plant operations, maintenance and technical personnel. Managed projects to improve productivity, efficiency and safety at NSP's largest generating plant. Identified electrical and mechanical problems and recommended corrective repairs Professional Certification Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) by Project Management Institute, 2007

10 Docket NO.E002ATL OAH Docket No Schedule 1 Page 2 of 2 Education Project Management Institute Project Management Professional Training, 2007 Minnesota Management Institute, University of Minnesota School of Management, 2000 Intensive, condensed MBA-level business management curriculum. Minnesota Management Academy, University of Minnesota School of Management, 1998 Management principles and skills for front-line managers. Post-graduate coursework at University of St. Thomas and University of Minnesota in economics, business law, marketing, manufacturing. Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Minnesota, 1986

Docket No.E002m.-09-1315. OAH Docket No. 16-2500-21470-22. Stevenaon Direct - Schedule 2.

11 Docket No.E002m OAH Docket No Stevenaon Direct - Schedule 2. Page 1 of 1 (} JWBmpr Map proauomi ey: Noilham M M M P O «W Company-Minn m Xoal E n«(gy Company Slang and Land Rlghta - MSrkc DRAFT: October I, 2009 Routes Added: October Proposed Routes Prefeired Alternate Route Width Existing 69 kv Existing 161 kv Existing 345 kv Substation Airport Map of Pipeline and Potential Double Circuit Area

STATE OF MINNESOTA OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS FOR THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION PUC DOCKET NO. E002/TL OAH DOCKET NO.

Direct Testimony and Schedules Grant Stevenson STATE OF MINNESOTA OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS FOR THE PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION IN THE MATTER OF THE APPLICATION FOR A ROUTE PERMIT FOR THE PLEASANT