Minnesota PUC approves Minnesota Power 2015 integrated resource plan

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) announced on Thursday that it has approved Minnesota Power’s 2015 integrated resource plan, which will guide the further diversification of the utility’s portfolio throughout the next 10 years.

“The commission’s approval affirms Minnesota Power is on the right path to a cleaner energy future while ensuring customers get the reliable energy they need at a price they can afford,” ALLETE President, Chairman and CEO Al Hodnik said. “EnergyForward is about balancing reliability, affordability, and sustainability, and it is clearly positioning Minnesota Power to meet the state’s carbon reduction target of 30 percent by 2025. All of these efforts are helping to responsibly answer the nation’s call to transform its energy landscape.”

The utility’s resource plan is a 500-page document that was filed September 1. The Minnesota PUC requires utilities to file updated resource plans approximately every two years. Minnesota Power’s plan details how the utility plans to meet customer demand while hitting its green energy goal within the next 10 years by relying on 33 percent renewables, 33 percent coal and 33 percent natural gas.

Minnesota Power is also required to meet the Minnesota Renewable Energy Standard (RES), which require at least 25 percent of its retail sales to be generated by specific clean energy technologies by 2025.

Minnesota Power is an operating division of ALLETE, Inc.