Minnesota Power aims to triple solar energy portfolio with $40M investment

Minnesota Power recently announces plans invest approximately $40 million into three solar projects that will yield 20 megawatts of arrays in northern Minnesota and triple the company’s solar energy portfolio.

That is, of course, if the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) signs off on the company’s new plan. However, the plan is in direct response to a request from MPUC itself, which in May asked utilities to evaluate their projects for items they could speed up and use to boost the pandemic-hit economy.

“We believe Minnesota can and must play a strong role in the economic recovery of the communities where we live and work,” Bethany Own, CEO and president of ALLETE, said. Minnesota Power is a division of ALLETE. “Moving up the timetable of planned solar projects will boost the tax base of local economies, add solar panels from regional manufacturers when possible, and support local construction jobs. At the same time, we remain committed to providing safe, reliable, and affordable power while meeting our plan for 50 percent renewable energy by 2021.”

Under the current work-in-progress filing, the three solar projects would begin construction sometime next year. As Minnesota Power desires to have those operations online by the end of 2021, it would have to move swiftly to submit requests for approval with MPUC. When finished, Minnesota Power’s energy portfolio would include around 30 MW of solar energy in all, including an existing 10 MW solar array at the Minnesota National Guard Base called Camp Ripley.

The new arrays would be built at Minnesota Power’s Laskin Energy Center in Hoyt Lakes, Minn., the Sylvan Hydro Station near Brainerd, Minn., and in Duluth, Minn.

To assist COVID-19 recovery efforts, the company has also proposed to lower the eligibility threshold to 250 kilowatts of new electric demand for businesses looking to expand, donated $100,000 for COVID-19 response funds and non-profits, refunded $12 million to its customers under an early resolution for its 2019 rate review and suspended disconnections and late payment charges for residential and small-business customers.