Kettle Falls power line replacement progresses

Voyageurs National Park is planning on replacing a nearly 40-year old underwater electrical cable at Kettle Falls.

It has released findings on the project’s flood potential, which can be evaluated by the public until March 10. The document can be found on the National Park Service Planning, Environment and Public Comment website at https://parkplanning.nps.gov/KFElectric.

The 13-mile long cable and associated transformer boxes were installed in 1987 and supply power to the historic Kettle Falls Hotel, restaurant, and other concessioner-operated facilities that serve thousands of visitors each year. 

Due to old age, lightning strikes and an exposed neutral wire, the line has been compromised. This has caused safety concerns and intermittent power outages of varying duration. With no backup power, these outages can shut down the Kettle Falls Hotel, spoil food in the restaurant’s cold storage, and disable the electric fire‑suppression system.

The proposed replacement project would relocate electrical components out of the floodplain to improve safety and protect park infrastructure.

“The park looks forward to improving electrical service and the visitor experience at Kettle Falls while increasing the resilience of its infrastructure to flooding,” said Brian Harmon, acting superintendent of Voyageurs National Park.   

The project is funded by the Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund.