Based on an agreement reached with stakeholder groups as part of its latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) proceedings, Minnesota Power announced on November 7, 2022, that it will add up to 400 MW of wind energy and 300 MW of solar energy over the next 15 years as part of its EnergyForward plan.[1] The announcement is nearly double what the utility had initially proposed. The EnergyForward plan aims to help Minnesota Power achieve a full carbon-free energy system by 2050. According to the press release, over the next two weeks, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) will review the proposal negotiated with stakeholder groups, which included clean energy organizations, labor, and host communities. The PUC is expected to vote on the IRP on November 22, 2022. If approved, the utility will advance storage projects that support investment in its renewable portfolio and continue to evaluate the transition of its Boswell Energy Center, a coal-fired power plant. Other resource considerations, such as electric grid strengthening proposals and a previously approved natural gas power plant, have been deferred until future regulatory filings.

[1]https://minnesotapower.blob.core.windows.net/content/Content/Documents/Company/PressReleases/2022/PressRelease11072022.pdf