Latest news with #MinnesotaPublicUtilitiesCommission
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Public weighs in on proposed Summit Lake Solar project
May 27—WORTHINGTON — The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission joined Summit Lake Solar, LLC Thursday evening to offer a public information and environmental review scoping meeting for Nobles County residents at the Worthington Events Center. Craig Janezich, energy facilities planner, and Sam Weaver, environmental review manager for Minnesota Department of Commerce, were on the panel with Summit Lake Solar's Alia Mohammad, permitting specialist, and Tom Karas, senior developer, as well as Jeremy Duehr, an attorney from Fredrikson and Byron. The meeting began with information about the project, proposed to be constructed on a 1,900-acre parcel near the unincorporated community of Reading, before allowing the public to ask questions. Summit Lake Solar (National Grid Renewables Development), headquartered in Bloomington, develops, constructs, owns and operates renewable energy projects nationwide. Their plan is to construct a 200-megawatt utility-scale solar energy conversion facility and a 200-MW battery energy storage system (BESS) near Reading. The project would connect into the existing Nobles Substation, with targeted completion in 2028 with construction as early as fall 2027. A joint siting application was submitted for both Summit Lake Solar and Summit Lake Storage projects to Minnesota Public Utilities Commission in February. The energy storage system takes in alternating current (AC) electricity then converts it to direct current (DC) electricity to store within its batteries. When needed, the system converts the stored DC power back into AC and reliably discharges electricity to the grid. AC electricity is then sent to homes and businesses to power electronics. The Summit Lake panel explained vegetative screening will be implemented on a case-by-case scenario. The projects are designed to avoid tree clearing and existing trees and windbreaks around residences will be maintained and provide some natural vegetative screening. The economic benefits they listed include $500,500 in total production tax revenue to local governments, $400,500 to Nobles County annually, $100,100 to both Summit Lake and Elk townships and 250 construction jobs at peak construction. Weaver, who works with energy environmental review and analysis at the Commerce department, said their office acts as technical advisors to the commission. They provide data driven objective analysis of the potential impacts of the proposed projects. "We do not advocate for or against projects," he said. "We are just here to say this is what they are proposing. Our goal is to inform the decision making by the commission. The commission are the ones deciding whether or not the project goes forward." Weaver explained that they prepare an environmental assessment, which shares an objective analysis of the project. He said he has already received numerous comments from the public and has appreciated them as they are helpful when preparing the document. "We want to hear from you all about the potential human environmental impacts that we should study," Weaver said. "We want to know about any unique characteristics within the project area that should be considered." He gave an example of a submitted comment about seasonal flooding after large rain events and shared that when driving around the project, he wouldn't get that type of long term local knowledge. Verbal comments were made at the meeting, but residents may make comments online at or by mail or email to Weaver at or to Minnesota Department of Commerce, 85 Seventh Place E., Suite 280, St. Paul, MN 55101. The comment period ends June 5. Marcus Raines was the first to comment before the panel. "As a millwright, I've had the pleasure of installing and maintaining power generation equipment over the past 12 years of my career," he said. "Now I have the pleasure of representing 27,000 carpenters, millwrights and pile drivers across the Upper Midwest. We would like to thank National Grid Renewables for their ongoing collaboration, committing to paying a prevailing wage to a local trained workforce that would be constructing this project." Raines said he looks forward to moving through the process of the project and gaining a positive environmental assessment while making the project a win for local craftspeople. Amy Stefferud spoke next. She lives on the edge of Reading and had concerns about the BESS involving fires and leakages, as well as noise. Mohammad said there would be full-time maintenance staff monitoring on site and explained that while fires are rare, if it does happen, the technology is developed to where they would let the fire burn within the enclosure. It would not be able to spread to other enclosures. Karas assured the public that one would not see any flames. He also explained that noise regulations must be met. Stefferud then asked if the project would decrease their property value. Mohammad replied that property value studies have been conducted by solar facilities in Minnesota and they have shown there little to no effect on property values. Russell Penning, rural Wilmont, shared some of his concerns about the project having to do with setbacks from road right-of-ways and from county drainage systems. "I've been hired by our township in the past when we've had bad snow years to push snow back on township roads," he said. "One concern being, are the setbacks going to be far enough for safe snow removal? If we are blowing snow off roads, who's going to be liable if we're sending rocks through solar panels?" Mohammad said there are county regulations for certain structures and facilities. "From the center line of all roads including fences, from the solar array that are closest to the center line, it'll be approximately 85 feet away," she said. "Then from the BESS, it'll also be 90 feet away." Penning said from his experience, he believes that is too close, stating some years he would push snow back well beyond 80 feet. His next question pertained to replacing solar panels. "From the little bit I've looked online, the technology is growing so fast that by the time we get halfway through these solar panels projected life, they're probably going to be decommissioned and put a newer panel up," he said. "So to that point, what do you do with them?" Mohammad said they recycle the panels after the end of their useful life. She explained they are responsible for the decommissioning process and have financial surety put in place in order to decommission all of the equipment. She then explained in the case of a weather event, the panels can withstand 50 mph winds and golf ball-sized hail. She also said the panels are TCLP tested, meaning toxicity characteristic leaching procedures show very little to no effect of toxicity leaching. Other public comments were made by Dwayne Wienrank, Becky Baumhoefner, James Joens, Phillip Joens, Kevin Schettler, Mallory Fritz, Nate Runke, Rod Burkard, Judy Christians, Nobles County Drainage Coordinator Loretta Halbur, Nobles County Planning and Zoning Administrator Kathy Henderschiedt and Nobles County Board Chairman Gene Metz. While some were against the project entirely, others asked questions or gave advice to the panel. Halbur explained how the project will impact three of the county's drainage systems, causing the system benefits to decrease due to the change in land use. "I do look forward to National Grid Renewables submitting their petition for reroute," she said. "We will have to be in touch." Henderschiedt requested the company be held to the county's zoning ordinance of a 150-foot setback from property lines. Metz made it clear that he wasn't speaking as a commissioner, but as a concerned citizen. He said one of the big questions he is always asked is why can't the county set the setbacks — and they can for small projects — but they have no say on commercial grade setbacks. The Summit Lake panel heard many comments regarding the setback from property lines and Weaver noted those are the comments they look for from the public and will review concerns. Another public hearing is tentatively set for October.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Permit decision for large solar project in Minnesota's Renville County likely by summer's end
Apr. 8---- A decision is expected before summer's end on whether to permit a large solar farm proposed in . The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and Department of Commerce hosted the second in-person public hearing for the project in Olivia on March 31, followed by an online hearing on April 1. Administrative Law Judge Kristien Butler said he will issue his findings on the application by the project developer, Ranger Power, on June 2. The Public Utilities Commission will decide in July or August whether or not to permit the project, according to the project's timetable. The environmental assessment for the project is completed and available at the for the project, according to Jessica Livingston, environmental review manager with the Department of Commerce. Go to and search Docket No. 24-106. Ranger Power, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, is seeking to develop a 200-megawatt solar energy site. The Gopher State Solar project would erect solar panels on 977 acres of land within a 1,645-acre area of leased property located primarily north of Bird Island in Kingman and Osceola townships and a small portion in Bird Island. Bifacial solar panels that produce electricity from direct and reflected light are planned. They would be aligned to the south and track the sun east to west, said Sergio Trevino, vice president of siting for , in his April 1 presentation. The project represents a $200 million investment in Renville County, according to Trevino. The company representative said the project would provide $32 million in tax revenues to the county and local government units over its project life. It will provide a $79,000 tax impact in its first year while creating 200 construction jobs. At the April 1 hearing, the lone participant to offer comment on the project was Lucas Franco, representing the Laborers' International Union of North America in Minnesota. He offered support for the project and cited the company's commitment to hire local contractors and workers for its construction. Renville County has raised concerns about the project. During discussions at the meeting on April 1, it was also noted that some landowners neighboring the site were present at the in-person hearing. It was stated at the hearing that property values can decrease by about 4% for residences within a half-mile of a solar site, according to the discussions. The visual aesthetics, possible glare from the panels, and possible humming and other noise from the electrical equipment were issues raised at an Oct. 29, 2024, hearing held in Olivia on the project. The Renville County commissioners have expressed concerns that the cost for decommissioning the project could fall on the county if the project fails financially. It is seeking a decommissioning agreement with Ranger Power to provide financial assurance for those potential costs, but the sides differ greatly on what the costs could be. Ranger Power estimates that decommissioning costs could total $1.4 million. The company's estimate is based on expectations of approximately $5.5 million in salvage value for the solar panels and materials and $7 million in costs for removal and site restoration. Renville County maintains that decommissioning costs could total $21 million as there is no way to predict the value of the materials two decades or more in the future. In a letter to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, Scott Refsland, director of Renville County Environmental Services, said a company proposing a 125-megawatt solar project in the county estimates the decommissioning costs at $3.3 million to $5 million, or as much as $6.5 million more than Ranger Power estimates for its much larger project. The county is asking that if the project is permitted, language in the permit allow the county to pursue all legal options against the project owner — and, if applicable, against landowners — to recover any decommissioning costs that would become the county's responsibility if an agreement is not reached with Ranger Power. The Gopher State Solar project is one of two large solar projects in the permitting process in Renville County. of Salt Lake City, Utah, a subsidiary of AES Clean Energy, is seeking to develop a 125-megawatt project in an approximate 1,000-acre footprint in Birch Cooley, Camp and Bandon townships and the city of Franklin.
The Independent
09-03-2025
- Business
- The Independent
South Dakota law raises questions about future of massive Midwest pipeline
A new law in South Dakota prohibiting the use of eminent domain to acquire land for carbon capture pipelines raises questions about the viability of a proposed 2,500 mile (4,023-kilometer) project snaking through five Midwest states. Summit Carbon Solutions, the company behind the estimated $8.9 billion pipeline, vowed to keep pursuing the project despite South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden's announcement Thursday that he had signed a bill into law that will make routing the line much more difficult. The law bans Summit from forcing South Dakota landowners to allow the pipeline through their property. Plans call for the pipeline to carry greenhouse gas emissions from more than 50 ethanol plants in Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota to a spot in North Dakota, where it would be permanently stored underground. Legal action is possible It's unclear whether Summit will pursue legal action but the company said in a statement that 'all options are on the table" and the project 'moves forward' in other states. The company promised it would have more news soon. Large pipeline projects typically rely on eminent domain, with companies arguing that even if most landowners agree to grant access to their property, a project can be scuttled if only a few refuse. Summit says the company, which has secured over 2,700 easements across the region, has approval for routes in Iowa and North Dakota and a leg in Minnesota. Can the line be routed through Minnesota? The current proposed route would cut through nearly 700 miles (1,126.5 kilometers) of South Dakota before entering North Dakota, so rerouting to the east through Minnesota would be a big challenge. A Summit spokesperson did not respond to questions Friday about whether the company would consider a new route. The sponsor of the South Dakota bill, Republican Rep. Karla Lems, said Summit could either reroute its pipeline through Minnesota into North Dakota or 'negotiate with landowners in South Dakota' and go around opponents. Gov. Rhoden said the South Dakota law wasn't intended to kill the project and suggested Summit see it as 'an opportunity to reset.' Minnesota is a relatively small part of Summit's overall project. The only segment approved in the state is a 28-mile (45-kilometer) leg from an ethanol plant near Fergus Falls to the North Dakota border. Summit's project also includes two legs in southern Minnesota that would go into Iowa. A Minnesota Public Utilities Commission spokesperson did not respond to phone or email messages. The pipeline's importance to the ethanol industry The country's transition to electric vehicles has been slower than many people expected, but most think a shift away from internal combustion engines will eventually happen. Nearly 40% of the nation's corn crop is brewed into ethanol, which is blended into most gasoline sold in the U.S. Midwest farmers and the ethanol industry therefore see it as essential to have new markets as less of the fuel additive goes to power cars. They see passenger jet fuel as a potentially huge new market for ethanol. However, under current rules the process for turning ethanol into aviation fuel would need to emit less carbon dioxide to qualify for tax breaks intended to reduce greenhouses. The carbon capture pipeline is a key part of achieving those goals, Iowa Renewable Fuels Association Executive Director Monte Shaw said. Walt Wendland, who runs an ethanol plant in Onida, South Dakota, said the 'ethanol industry is a margin business' and the new state law will put South Dakota ethanol producers at a disadvantage. 'Ever since I built a plant, I never wanted an advantage, just don't put me at a disadvantage,' Wendland said. Will the pipeline ever be built? It has been four years since Summit proposed building the pipeline, along with two other companies that later abandoned their plans. It has been a challenging process for Summit, which dealt with lawsuits in Nebraska and elsewhere, opposition before a regulatory commission in Iowa and now the eminent domain ban in South Dakota. In its statement, Summit expressed optimism about the future but didn't offer specifics about how it could build a pipeline without eminent domain authority in South Dakota. Since the pipeline was proposed, the federal government's approach to climate change also has changed dramatically. Democratic President Joe Biden increased tax incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to encourage carbon capture as an effort to slow climate change. However, Republican President Donald Trump has emphasized the need for more oil and gas drilling and coal mining, and has put far less emphasis on alternative energy. Trump has not indicated whether his views will lead to changing federal policy regarding carbon capture pipelines. ___ Dura reported from Bismarck, North Dakota.
Yahoo
02-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Amazon can't skip permitting process for data center generators, MN utilities commission decides
Amazon has suffered a setback in its quest to speed up regulatory approval for its proposed data center in Becker. On Friday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission voted 4-0 to reject a request for a permitting exemption on Amazon's plan to build 250 backup diesel generators for the site. The tech giant was hoping to avoid a drawn-out permitting process, and had argued the generator facility should be exempt because, as it would only be used for Amazon's data center in case of a power outage, it would not be connected to any public power grid. However, the commission's decision means the company must pursue a "Certificate of Need" for the generators. In other words, Amazon must now prove that they need the machines — and whether "more cost-effective alternatives exist," among other state-mandated guidelines. In a statement to the Washington Post, Sarah Mooradian, policy director for environmental group CURE MN, said the organization was pleased with the ruling, arguing that 'even if an energy source isn't directly connected to the grid, it still has huge impacts that need to be examined and questioned, especially at the scale we're talking about with hyperscale data centers.' For its part, Amazon issued a statement saying the company appreciates the "clarity" provided by the commission's decision, and added that it remains committed to "working collaboratively with state leaders to determine the best path forward for any future projects," the paper noted. What that means for the company's plans in Becker is unclear. But as the Star Tribune reports, Minnesota House Republicans have put forward a bill that would "exempt data centers from Certificates of Need." The paper notes that Becker city officials as well as three construction unions are backing Amazon in the matter. Amazon bought the 348-acre property in late 2024 for "close to" $73.6 million, Data Center Dynamics reports. Situated at the site of Xcel Energy's former Sherco coal plant, the proposed data facility is expected to create 1,200 construction jobs, "followed by 100 permanent roles upon completion," the paper says.
