Minnesota Power lays out renewable energy plan: No coal by 2035, no carbon by 2050
The company reached 50% renewables in December, and now plans to increase that to 70% by 2030. It will be 80% carbon free by 2035 and 100% carbon free by 2050. 11:52 am, Jan. 12, 2021 ×
Minnesota Power will be coal-free by 2035 and carbon-free by 2050.
The Duluth-based utility on Tuesday announced it will retire the coal-fired 335-megawatt Unit 3 at its Boswell Energy Center in Cohasset by 2030 and convert the power plant’s 468-megawatt Unit 4 to be coal-free by 2035.
To make up the difference, it’s adding 400 more megawatts of wind and solar by 2035 and transitioning to fuels that produce less carbon.
Minnesota Power shutting, converting final two coal plants by 2035 Brooks Johnson, Star Tribune
DULUTH – Minnesota Power will shutter and convert its last two coal power plants by 2035 as it moves toward a promised 100% carbon-free energy mix by 2050.
The Duluth-based utility, which serves a broad swath of northeastern and central Minnesota, announced the timeline Tuesday ahead of the company filing a detailed 15-year plan with state regulators in February. We re no longer just dreaming of a carbon-free future, said Bethany Owen, CEO of parent company Allete Inc. We believe Minnesota Power is ready to reach this goal.
By the end of the decade Minnesota Power intends to shut down the Boswell Energy Center Unit 3, a 335-megawatt coal-fired plant in Cohasset. The utility plans to add 400 megawatts of solar and wind energy by 2030 to replace it.
Minnesota Power to retire coal plants, sets goal of being carbon-free by 2050
It will retire and convert its remaining two coal plants by 2035.
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Minnesota Power aims to provide 100% carbon-free electricity to its customer by 2050.
The Duluth-based company announced the goal in a news release on Tuesday, saying it also hopes to deliver 70% renewable energy to customers by 2030 and be 80% carbon-free by 2035.
This comes a month after Minnesota Power said it is now delivering 50% renewable energy to customers, becoming the first Minnesota to do so.
“As a clean energy leader, we are meeting the challenge of climate change with a reliable energy supply while keeping costs affordable for customers in this region, ALLETE President and CEO Bethany Owen (ALLETE owns Minnesota Power) said in the release.