NTEC: Approval Under Questionable Circumstances

A biased commissioner could be the reason that the Nemadji Trail Energy Center (NTEC) fossil fuel plant was ever approved in the first place.

Proposed in 2019, Dairyland Power Cooperative’s Nemadji Trail Energy Center would cost $700 million. This fossil fuel plant is proposed to be located in Superior, Wisconsin next to the Nemadji river. When NTEC was first approved by the Public Service Commission (PSC) in January of 2020, Mike Huebsch was a Public Services Commissioner, one of the three people who make the PSC’s decisions.

Soon after this decision, Mike Huebsch stepped down from the PSC and then applied to be the CEO of Dairyland Power - the same utility that was seeking approval for NTEC. It was revealed that Commissioner Huebsch also had undisclosed text conversations with Dairyland employees while in his role with the PSC. Despite this apparent conflict of interest, NTEC’s approval currently still stands.

An infographic showing the timeline of former commissioner Huebsch's actions regarding the PSC, NTEC and Dairyland. A yellow and black film reel-type path winds left to right across the page, with dates of different actions marked in blue circles. In the top right there's a magenta box introducing the graphic that offers it as a look at Mike Huebsch's role. In the top center, there's a drawing of a building with a $700 million price tag on it, and NTEC written on the side.

 Graphic designed by Orien.

Commissioner Huebsch’s actions are questionable at best, and it’s time to go back to the drawing board when it comes to permitting. In addition to addressing Commissioner Huebsch’s communications, the PSC needs to take into account the full scope of climate impacts associated with this plant. The Evers administration has made this priority clear -- Governor Evers’ climate change task force has recommended no new fossil fuel infrastructure, which includes gas plants like NTEC.

We already knew that NTEC would be a brand new fossil fuel plant that would burn emissions into the atmosphere for decades. We now know that it would also be built on a permit approved under questionable circumstances. There is more reason than ever for this plant to be cancelled.

The permitting process for NTEC needs to go back to the beginning, and when all is said and done, any plans for new fossil fuel infrastructure in Wisconsin should be cancelled.

Written by Irene Zhang, Organizing Intern


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