Minnesota Power Must Commit to No New Fossil Gas

DULUTH, MN -- Earlier today, Minnesota Power announced its “vision for 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2050,” in advance of the utility’s integrated resource plan (IRP) due to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) by February 1, 2021.

“Minnesota Power is responding to what Minnesotans have been advocating for, and what the science of the climate crisis demands,” said Jenna Yeakle, Organizing Representative with the Beyond Coal Campaign. “We must transition to 100% clean, renewable energy as quickly as possible and ensure impacted workers, families, and communities are supported throughout this transition. Moving beyond coal at Boswell is an important step forward, as is shifting to economic dispatch of Boswell’s coal units until they’re retired, but our climate, and our communities, cannot afford more fossil gas plants. Any amount of fossil fuel is too much, and Minnesota Power must pledge not to replace coal units with gas, and to halt the development of the new NTEC gas plant.”

The specifics of Minnesota Power’s plan will become public when the utility files its IRP with the PUC. Today’s release said only that the IRP will “identify plans to increase its renewable energy supply to 70 percent by 2030 and achieve a coal-free energy supply by 2035” and include a “goal of delivering 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2050.”

“The timeline here is critical,” said Jessica Tritsch, Senior Campaign Representative with the Beyond Coal to Clean Energy Campaign. "The best science indicates that, if we want to avoid the worst outcomes of the climate crisis, we do not have until 2050 to reach 100% carbon-free energy generation.”