Xcel Energy has filed with Minnesota regulators a new clean energy plan for the Upper Midwest, aiming to reduce carbon emissions by up to 88% by 2030, while raising customer rates less than 1% per year through 2040. The plan includes the addition of 3,600 MW of new wind and solar generation, 600 MW of battery storage, 20-year operating extensions for Prairie Island and Monticello nuclear plants, and expansion of the utility’s energy efficiency and demand response programs. Critics argue this may complicate the path to meeting Minnesota’s requirement for a carbon-free electricity sector by 2040, as the state has set a goal for utilities to supply 100% emissions-free power by that date. Xcel has proposed extending the lives of three “Refuse Derived Fuel” generating plants slated to close in 2027.
Solar Dominates US Energy Capacity Growth
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has published data showing that solar accounted for over 75% of US electrical generating
