Regulators OK Minnesota Power’s Coal Plant Retirements
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A plan to retire coal-burning power plants in northern Minnesota won approval from state regulators.
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Minnesota Power’s 15-year resource plan Tuesday, Minnesota Public Radio News reported.
The plan calls for retiring two older coal units in Cohasset by 2022. That’s two years earlier than the Duluth-based utility proposed. The Taconite Harbor plant in Schroeder would stop burning coal permanently by 2020.
Minnesota Power plans to invest more in wind, solar and natural gas as power sources.
Regulators called for more analysis on the right mix within the next few years.
Minnesota Power says its long-term goal is to transition from about 75 percent coal generation now to one-third coal, one-third renewables and one-third natural gas. Utility officials call the strategy EnergyForward. Minnesota Power generated about 95 percent of its electricity from coal 10 years ago.
“EnergyForward is about balancing reliability, affordability and sustainability,” said Al Hodnik, CEO of Minnesota Power’s parent company, Allete Inc.
Source: (June 11, 2016) The Associated Press
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