MARSHALL — Lyon County commissioners had more than one item of business dealing with Xcel Energy this week. But a conditional use permit for a new substation near Tracy was not related to the Minnesota Energy Connection project, county staff said.

On Tuesday, commissioners heard a request for a conditional use permit for Xcel Energy to build a new substation and laydown yard near Tracy. Lyon County Planning and Zoning Administrator John Brien said the new substation would replace existing infrastructure within the Tracy city limits.

Biren said the Lyon County planning commission held a public hearing on the request last week.

“This request represents an essential service. We handle large essential services with the conditional use permit process,” Biren said. The planning commission recommended approving the permit.

“There’s two existing pieces of infrastructure with Xcel Energy within the city limits of Tracy, a switching station and a substation. Those two pieces are located on different properties,” Biren said. “They will be abandoned over time, and just outside the city limits is where this is being proposed.”

Biren said the new substation near Tracy did not have to do with Xcel Energy’s transmission line project running from Sherburne County to Lyon County. The project in the CUP was just going to replace aging electric infrastructure.

“I believe some of the infrastructure has been in place over 50 years, and it’s time to upgrade that,” Biren said.

Commissioners approved the conditional use permit.