The Road To Minnesota Begins In North Dakota -- October 3, 2015

Updates

October 8, 2015: SC Times applauds Xcel's recent announcement to shut down two coal-burning plants but asks the question, "what's the cost?" LOL. These idiots never talk about the number of coal-burning plants China is building every week. But back to the question, "at what cost." We'll know in a few years. Electricity is so cheap in this country, Americans are willing to pay double just to feel good. Some data points from the article. From wiki: On October 2, 2015, Xcel Energy filed plans with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to shut down the plant's Unit 2 in 2023 and Unit 1 in 2026, each with a capacity of 750 MW (Sherco has three units).

• the two Sherco coal plants to be closed: 1,500 MW
• a new 700-MW natural gas plant: $700 million
• 50-MW solar installation: cost not provided, but at $2 million/MW = $100 million

Original Post
 

Perhaps this article is not worth posting. I don't know. But it's clear that I need to add a tag, "The Road To Minnesota." Oh, I see I already have that tag; completely forgot.

Someday, probably in the year 2020, we will see this headline on the op-ed page of the StarTribune: What Were They Thinking?

Anyway, today (October 3, 2015, 12:39 a.m.) the StarTribune is reporting that Xcel Energy plans more wind, solar power and less coal -- and sooner -- in Minnesota. [Actually, Xcel wants more wind, more natural gas, and less coal in North Dakota -- so the headline is wrong on almost all accounts. I guess Xcel will keep solar in the sunny state of Minnesota.]

Oh, that's right. This is why I wanted to post the story.

Earlier I commented on President Obama's Clean Power Act and how it might affect North Dakota in these two posts:

• August 29, 2015
• August 28, 2015

I must have been in a good mood based on the lengths of those two posts. But I digress.

I can't remember if I actually posted this, sent it in an e-mail to someone, or just thought it, but when it comes to the Clean Power Act and the new restrictions, this is an opportunity for North Dakota to really move to a new level in the energy sector.

And there it was, in the linked StarTribune article again.

Although Xcel already intended to double its investments in wind and solar power by 2030, the utility’s revised plan now calls for speeding up that effort, with significant renewable power additions before 2020. Clark said solar and wind power costs have dropped significantly, and he wants the utility poised to seize opportunities if Congress extends the federal wind production tax credit.

Xcel, which operates in eight states and serves 1.4 million electric customers in Minnesota, has been the nation’s most windpower-reliant utility for 11 years. Today, Xcel gets 15 percent of electricity from wind, and 37 percent from coal in its Minnesota region that includes North Dakota and South Dakota. If this plan goes forward, Xcel expects 33 percent of its regional electricity to be generated by wind and solar in 2030, while 15 percent would still come from coal.

Xcel also said it wants by 2025 to build a natural gas-fired generating unit in North Dakota. 

The EPA gave North Dakota a two-year extension to write its plan to comply with the Clean Power Act. What a great opportunity for the state to really put together a great plan.

Wind will continue to be problematic; it cannot be justified on any grounds, but regardless, wind is a sideshow in the energy industry in North Dakota. But look at that last line in the StarTribune excerpt above: Xcel wants to build a natural gas-fired generating unit in North Dakota.

And this comes on top of the possibility of more than one petrochemical plants in the state before it's all over.

*************************************

Using A Fork
She was distracted by the Alabama - Georgia NCAA football game.