MARSHALL — Wind energy production has grown in southwest Minnesota. However, the existing CapX2020 power lines in the region aren’t able to deliver all that energy to customers, representatives from Xcel Energy said Tuesday.

Xcel’s planned solution is to add another transmission circuit onto the CapX lines running from Brookings to Marshall.

Compared to the original CapX project, there would be little new construction involved in adding the second circuit, said Xcel spokesperson Randy Fordice.

“We think this is a pretty straightforward project, and we think it’s needed,” Fordice said.

On Tuesday evening, Xcel held an open-house style event in Marshall to answer questions about the Brookings second circuit transmission project. Fordice said the CapX2020 lines, which run from Brookings County, S.D., to Dakota County, Minnesota, are facing congestion as the number of wind energy projects in the region has grown.

The CapX project was built to be “double-circuit capable” along some segments of its route, Xcel representatives said. This means that transmission wires were installed on only one side of the transmission towers, with room for more to be added. To help address congestion, Xcel is now seeking to add a second circuit on portions of the CapX lines. The project would be a little like adding a lane on a highway, Fordice said.

The affected segments of the CapX route would include about 60 miles’ worth of lines running between the Brookings County electrical substation in South Dakota and the Marshall substation in Lyon County, as well as lines running from the Helena substation in Scott County and the Hampton substation in Dakota County.

Adding the new transmission circuit wouldn’t require a new easement or very much new construction, Fordice said.

“Most of the work will be done in the existing easement,” he said.

The new transmission lines would be added to already-existing transmission towers in the region, with helicopters hoisting the new wires into position.

If the proposal gets approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, work on installing the new lines could start next April, Xcel representatives said. This year, Xcel is filing a Certificate of Need with the Public Utilities Commission, and doing public outreach with the public and local governments.

Xcel said an additional open house would be held today in Lakeville. Additional information on the project is also available online at www.Brookings2ndCircuit.com.