Minnesota Power plans two large solar projects in northern Minnesota as part of its EnergyForward strategy for carbon-free energy
23 September 2024 - 5:02PM
Business Wire
Minnesota Power, a utility division of ALLETE Inc. (NYSE: ALE),
announced today it plans to build two large solar projects in
northern Minnesota as part of its continued transition toward a
cleaner energy future while prioritizing regional renewable energy
investments.
The Regal Solar project near Royalton, Minnesota, and the
Boswell Solar project in Cohasset, Minnesota, were chosen in an
open process from competitive bids in Minnesota Power’s 2023 solar
request for proposals. The process included an independent
evaluator who monitored it and concurred with the selections as
being the most cost-competitive for Minnesota Power customers.
The Boswell Solar project will have a capacity of 85 megawatts
from about 180,000 bifacial solar modules on about 600 acres, part
of it owned by Minnesota Power. It will utilize existing electric
infrastructure at the Boswell Energy Center, requiring only a
collector substation and a short transmission line to tie into the
grid. The project is expected to be online in mid-2027.
The Regal Solar project will have a capacity of 119.5 megawatts
from about 255,000 bifacial solar modules on about 800 acres. The
renewable project will tie to the regional electric grid though a
new 3.5-mile collector line and substation and is expected to be
online in mid-2027.
The two projects are part of Minnesota Power’s actions to meet
the up-to-300 megawatts of regional solar generation called for in
Minnesota Power’s Integrated Resource Plan approved by the
Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) in 2023.
“These two projects exemplify ALLETE’s sustainability-in-action
strategy by creating local jobs and local renewable energy, and the
Boswell Solar project will support one of our existing host
communities as we continue to plan for the future,” said ALLETE
Vice President and Minnesota Power Chief Operating Officer Josh
Skelton. “These projects will help move us toward our goal of
providing more than 80% renewable energy by 2030 while working
toward meeting the state of Minnesota law calling for carbon-free
energy supplies by 2040. Both projects include preferences for
local labor, diverse suppliers, and apprenticeships to train
tomorrow’s renewable energy workforce.”
Construction of the two projects is contingent on MPUC and other
regulatory approvals.
Minnesota Power provides electric service within a
26,000-square-mile area in northeastern Minnesota, supporting
comfort, security and quality of life for 150,000 customers, 14
municipalities and some of the largest industrial customers in the
United States. More information can be found at
www.mnpower.com.
ALLETE, Inc. is an energy company headquartered in Duluth,
Minnesota. In addition to its electric utilities, Minnesota Power
and Superior Water, Light and Power of Wisconsin, ALLETE owns
ALLETE Clean Energy, based in Duluth; BNI Energy in Bismarck, North
Dakota.; and New Energy Equity, headquartered in Annapolis,
Maryland; and has an 8% equity interest in the American
Transmission Co. More information about ALLETE is available at
www.allete.com.
Minnesota Power calculates and reports carbon emissions based on
the GHG Protocol. Details in ALLETE’s Corporate Sustainability
Report.
The statements contained in this release and statements that
ALLETE may make orally in connection with this release that are not
historical facts, are forward-looking statements. Actual results
may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking
statements. These forward-looking statements involve risks and
uncertainties and investors are directed to the risks discussed in
documents filed by ALLETE with the Securities and Exchange
Commission. ALE-CORP
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240923188621/en/
Amy Rutledge Director - Corporate Communications Minnesota
Power/ALLETE 218-723-7400 arutledge@mnpower.com
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