Xcel Power is issuing certainly one of Minnesota’s largest-ever requires clear vitality tasks, accelerating the addition of carbon-free vitality for the corporate’s Higher Midwest clients whereas serving to to switch a coal-fired energy plant in central Minnesota.
The corporate is asking builders to submit proposals for about 1.2 GW of latest wind tasks, sufficient to energy 485,000 houses every year on common. The tasks will assist meet Xcel Power clients’ vitality wants as the corporate absolutely retires its remaining coal models, which is anticipated by the top of 2030.
“Xcel Power is a nationwide chief in wind vitality, which has saved our Higher Midwest clients $1.6 billion since 2017,” mentioned Chris Clark, president, Xcel Power-Minnesota, South Dakota and North Dakota. “Wind vitality is ample throughout the states we serve, and we’re excited to see builders’ proposals that can profit our clients.”
Xcel Power is looking for tasks positioned in southwest Minnesota with a deliberate industrial operation date by the top of 2027. These new wind assets, mixed with photo voltaic and vitality storage tasks, will substitute the capability of the coal-fired Sherco plant in Becker. The transition is a part of the corporate’s Higher Midwest Built-in Useful resource Plan. Authorized by the Minnesota Public Utilities Fee in 2022, the plan outlines how Xcel Power will aggressively scale back carbon emissions.
Xcel Power is on monitor to scale back carbon emissions by 85% from clients’ electrical energy within the Higher Midwest by 2030.
Linking wind vitality to the grid
Xcel Power’s proposed Minnesota Power Connection transmission line would ship 2 GW of renewable vitality, together with this new wind vitality, to the grid at Sherco. The road is below evaluate on the Public Utilities Fee and would run 160 to 180 miles from Lyon County to Becker, reusing Sherco’s present grid connections.
Xcel broke floor on the Higher Midwest’s largest photo voltaic venture close to the Sherco plant web site. As soon as full, the 710-MW Sherco Photo voltaic venture will generate sufficient electrical energy to energy greater than 150,000 houses every year on common and absolutely substitute the primary Sherco coal unit, which is scheduled to retire later this 12 months. The corporate has additionally acquired state approval on a long-duration battery storage pilot venture on the web site.
Xcel Power’s request permits a spread of venture sizes and kinds, together with the potential so as to add vitality storage or photo voltaic property at chosen wind tasks. Click on right here for extra details about the request for proposals.
Information merchandise from Xcel Power
Filed Underneath: Information, Tasks
