Minnesota Caucuses Next Tuesday: An Important Step Toward Keeping the Lights On

Minnesotans: We Need Your Help On An Important Issue

In the Minnesota caucus system, party platforms are built bottom-up, not written all at once by national leaders. They emerge through layers of meetings, resolutions, and negotiations that start with ordinary party members and move upward.

This process is used (with variations) by both the DFL Party and the Republican Party, especially in states with strong caucus traditions. I myself once participated in this caucus system which begins at the grassroots local level, the moves to the district level, then to the state and ultimately to federal level. In short, party platforms emerge through layers of meetings, resolutions, and negotiations that start with ordinary party members and move upward.

It's at the precinct level that platform planks (policy statements) are proposed, debated and voted upon. If you attend your local caucus meeting, YOU can make a difference.

When I became (briefly) involved in party politics (1984), I spoke up about an issue which was passed and elevated to the district level. Because I was apparently articulate, I also (unintentionally) got "elected" (chosen) to become part of the district level where I served on the platform committee. In our district we had hundreds, perhaps thousands of of "statements" to review and syntheisize into a workable platform which will be voted on item by item in the district convention. The resolutions that passed in the district convention would be forwarded to the State Convention. The state level committee also has an open ear to activists, experts and party leaders. Ultimately from there these state platform planks are submitted to the National body (GOP, DNC) to become the "official" party platform.

Today's MISO energy mix, Feb 1, 2026.
Once Minnesota eliminates coal and gas, 
nuclear will be essential for steady power
because wind and sun are intermittent.

FOR THE 2026 MINNESOTA CONVENTION there is an especially important platform item to address.

Currently there is a plank on the DFL platform that asserts being opposed to nuclear power. If you are attending a DFL caucus meeting, write a resolution to remove the plank opposing nuclear and to lift the moratorium.

In February 2023, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed the Clean Energy Acceleration Act, mandating 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040, with interim targets of 80% by 2030 and 90% by 2035. This ambitious goal, while supported by utilities, faces significant hurdles, including the 1994 moratorium banning new nuclear power plants – a critical source of reliable, carbon-free baseload power.  

With energy demand rising due to data centers, electric vehicles and industrial growth, and with the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) classifying Minnesota’s region as “high risk” for outages under extreme conditions, experts warn that without nuclear energy, the 2040 target may be unattainable. Despite setbacks in the 2024 legislative session, advocates like Generation Atomic have made substantial progress toward lifting the moratorium, laying the groundwork for a cleaner, more reliable energy future.

NERC’s 2024 assessment highlights Minnesota as one of the most vulnerable to outages, especially as coal plants retire faster than replacements are built. The 1994 moratorium prevents utilities from planning new nuclear facilities, limiting options for consistent, carbon-free power.

Nuclear power is clean, safe, and carbon-free. Minnesota has committed to de-carbonizing its electric grid by 2040, but currently prohibits the building of new nuclear plants. Our coalition is working to remove this outdated law.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: https://mnnuclear.org/
For more information regarding the DFL Party Platform Change, Signup Here.

Nuclear power is clean, safe, and carbon-free. Minnesota has committed to de-carbonizing its electric grid by 2040, but currently prohibits the building of new nuclear plants. Our coalition is working to remove this outdated law.

The Most Recent Cold Snap

On January 24, the electric system across the central U.S. came close to serious trouble during a winter storm. The grid operator for the region issued a warning that means electricity supplies were tight and blackouts were getting closer if conditions worsened.

One major reason was that wind power dropped sharply just when demand was high. During the cold weather, wind speeds fell, and many wind turbines produced very little electricity. Before the storm, wind farms were supplying a strong share of power. By midnight on January 24, they were producing only a small fraction of what planners normally expect in winter.

While living in Puerto Rico for a year in 1979-80, I experience blackouts and brownouts almost weekly. This was disruptive, but not really deadly for the average citizen. Temps are 70 to 90 degrees year 'round there. But this past week while the MISO* grid was stretched to the max, temps were 20 to 30 below zero. Blackouts will have serious consequences for homeowners who have plumbing. (And who doesn't these days?)

* * * 

Groups align to lift Minnesota's nuclear energy ban

https://www.businessnorth.com/businessnorth_exclusives/groups-align-to-lift-minnesotas-nuclear-energy-ban/article_a3a4761d-afa7-4458-bc7a-43df54eb70a7.html

Why Nuclear is Cheaper than Wind and Solar

https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/why-nuclear-is-cheaper-than-wind

Germany's Merz calls nuclear phaseout 'serious strategic mistake'

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/germanys-merz-calls-nuclear-phaseout-serious-strategic-mistake/3800545?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Germany shut down its last three nuclear reactors in April 2023, marking the end of more than 60 years of nuclear power generation in Europe's largest economy.

* MISO = Midcontinent Independent System Operator, serving electrical power to 15 states in the center of the country from Manitoba and Minnesota to the Gulf Coast

Rob Roy MacGregor Explains the Difference Between Highland Life and English Urban Society

Rob Roy MacGregor

It wasn’t until I moved to Minnesota that I came to a more vivid understanding of my ancestral history as a descendant of Rob Roy MacGregor, the legendary hero/outlaw--a hero to the people, but a thorn in the side of the corrupt British overlords.

Growing up in Central New Jersey, I saw little evidence of the native peoples who originally populated that land. The Raritan River rolled through our area, but I never realized at the time that the Raritan took its name from the Native tribe that once occupied this region 300 years earlier.

When I came to Minnesota in the 1970s, however, the past felt remarkably close. The Battle of the Little Big Horn—where Custer’s ambition met its end—had taken place barely a century earlier. Reservations and Native communities were (and are) still all around us here, carrying forward traditions, stories, and practices handed down through their ancestors.

Over time, I began to see unexpected parallels between these tribal cultures and the old Scottish clan system. Both were kin-based, place-rooted societies that organized life through relationships, obligations, and shared identity—quite unlike the world shaped by lawyers, title deeds, and bureaucratic red tape. Early Scotland, in many respects, resembled the American West before what we now call “civilization” arrived.

Statue of Rob Roy 

During the era of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, and the Ghost Dancers, the two cultures collided with tragic consequences—misunderstandings, broken promises, and violence. (Of course this collision began centuries earlier in the East, but here in Minnesota the memories and effects felt more recent and tangible.) What struck me was how similar patterns had unfolded in Scotland during the time of the Highland MacGregors, who were so reviled by the authorities that, for nearly a century, it was legal to shoot a MacGregor on sight.

Sir Walter Scott captured this clash of worlds in his 1827 novel Rob Roy, contrasting the refined, urban English society with the wild, clan-governed Highlands. The tension between these two cultures—each with its own values, loyalties, and ways of life—shapes the novel’s characters and illuminates the broader historical struggles of both Scotland and the American frontier.

This past summer I decided to rent a time machine to go back in time to ask Rob Roy himself about the difference between English urban society and life amongst the Highland clans. Here was Rob Roy's reply.

"Ah'll tell ye, th' rugged Highland landscape is a stark shift awa' frae th' English urban scene. Th' Highlands are wild, untamed, an' marked wi' th' independent clan system. Th' Highland clans hae their ain complex social structures, an' loyalty tae yin's clan chief is o' utmost importance. We Highlanders cherish notions like honor, loyalty, an' rugged individualism. Oor way o' life is closely bound tae th' land, an' oor traditions are deeply rooted in a strong link tae oor environment."

"On th' ither haun, English urban society is bound tae commercial an' financial pursuits, social hierarchy, an' a mair centralized form o' governance. Th' English value stability, convention, an' a sense o' propriety. It's aw aboot a sense o' order, decorum, an' adherin' tae social norms." 

"As ye can ken, me heart bides in th' Highlands." 

Miscellaneous Trivia Related to History and Geography

What is it that makes Trivia so interesting? Over 100 million copies of Trivial Pursuit have been sold worldwide in 17 countries. That certainly says something about our interest in trivia.

Here's some trivia I pulled together for you to noodle around and stick in your pocket for a suitable time in the future.

* * * * *

1. The unicorn has been Scotland’s national animal since the 15th century, chosen by King James I for its strength and purity in Celtic mythology. It appears on the Scottish royal coat of arms, often chained to symbolize the taming of wild power. This mythical creature reflects Scotland’s love for folklore.

2. Australia, an island continent, only has 27 million residents. If you include Oceana, which includes Papua New Guinea, there are 45 million people in this section of the world. The only continent with fewer people is Antarctica. 

3. Vicksburg’s Confederate commander, General John C. Pemberton, surrendered on July 4, 1863, coincidentally the same day as the Union victory at Gettysburg.

4. Three presidents have died on July 4. Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on Independence Day in 1826. James Monroe died on that date five years later.

5. On December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright Brothers’ first successful powered flight in the Flyer I lasted just 12 seconds and covered only 120 feet—shorter than the length of a modern football field

6. St. Louis County, Minnesota, has a total area of approximately 6,860 square miles, with 6,247 square miles of land and about 613 square miles of water. This Northern Minnesota county is larger than Connecticut (5,543 square miles), Delaware (1,949 square miles),  Rhode Island (1,034 square miles).  It's also twice as large as Puerto Rico and 100 times larger than the District of Columbia.

7. Contrary to popular belief, Napoleon Bonaparte wasn’t unusually short. He stood at 5 feet 2 inches in French units, which translates to about 5 feet 7 inches in modern measurements, average for his time. The myth likely stemmed from British propaganda cartoons exaggerating his stature and confusion between French and English measurement systems.

8. Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, contains about 2,900 cubic miles of water, enough to cover North and South America in a foot of water. Its vast volume accounts for roughly 10% of the planet’s accessible surface freshwater, making it a critical global resource despite its remote location.

9. The Lake Superior region known as the “Graveyard of the Great Lakes” has seen over 550 shipwrecks, including the famous Edmund Fitzgerald in 1975. Storms, unpredictable currents, and hidden shoals make the lake notoriously treacherous, with some areas like Whitefish Point claiming numerous vessels in mysterious circumstances.

10. U.S. President William McKinley was shot by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York, dying eight days later on September 14. Theodore Roosevelt, at age 42, became the youngest U.S. president, ushering in the Progressive Era with reforms like trust-busting and conservation policies. A lesser-known detail: Czolgosz’s execution by electric chair on October 29 prompted the Secret Service to formalize presidential protection, a role it hadn’t officially held before. This assassination shifted U.S. political dynamics and amplified America’s global presence

Lifting Minnesota's Nuclear Moratorium: A Progress Report

From article published in Business North, July 2025.

SUMMARY

Ambitious Clean Energy Goals and Nuclear Ban Challenge: Minnesota’s Clean Energy Acceleration Act, signed in 2023, mandates 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040, with interim targets of 80% by 2030 and 90% by 2035. However, the state’s 1994 moratorium on new nuclear power plants poses a significant barrier, as nuclear energy is critical for reliable, carbon-free baseload power to meet these goals amidst rising energy demand.

Utility Progress and Grid Reliability Risks: Minnesota utilities like Xcel Energy (70% carbon-free, largely from nuclear), Great River Energy, and Minnesota Power are advancing decarbonization. However, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) warns of high outage risks due to retiring coal plants, the nuclear ban, intermittent renewables, and slow transmission line development.

Advocacy to Repeal Nuclear Moratorium: Generation Atomic (Gen A) and the Minnesota Nuclear Energy Alliance (MNEA) have built a coalition of more than 20 organizations, including trade groups and unions, to push for repealing the nuclear ban. In 2025, legislative efforts like House File 9 and Senate bills advanced but stalled due to Democratic concerns over nuclear waste and tribal objections, particularly from the Prairie Island Indian Community.

Federal Support for Nuclear Energy: The 2024 ADVANCE Act and 2025 executive orders under President Trump promote nuclear development through streamlined licensing and incentives, aligning with a goal to triple U.S. nuclear capacity by 2050. This federal momentum, coupled with rising electricity demand (projected 16% increase by 2029), underscores the urgency of lifting Minnesota’s moratorium to access funding and ensure grid reliability.

Future Advocacy and Urgency: Gen A plans to expand public outreach, host discussions on nuclear waste, and train advocates for the 2026 legislative session. With nuclear plants requiring 15 years to build, immediate action is critical to meet the 2040 carbon-free goal and avoid delays that could exacerbate grid reliability issues and economic risks.

* * * * * 

Groups align to lift Minnesota's nuclear energy ban

Ed Newman, July 2025

In February 2023, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed the Clean Energy Acceleration Act, mandating 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040, with interim targets of 80% by 2030 and 90% by 2035. This ambitious goal, while supported by utilities, faces significant hurdles, including the 1994 moratorium banning new nuclear power plants – a critical source of reliable, carbon-free baseload power. 

With energy demand rising due to data centers, electric vehicles and industrial growth, and with the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) classifying Minnesota’s region as “high risk” for outages under extreme conditions, experts warn that without nuclear energy, the 2040 target may be unattainable. Despite setbacks in the 2024 legislative session, advocates like Generation Atomic have made substantial progress toward lifting the moratorium, laying the groundwork for a cleaner, more reliable energy future.

Read the full story here at Business North:  
https://www.businessnorth.com/businessnorth_exclusives/groups-align-to-lift-minnesotas-nuclear-energy-ban/article_a3a4761d-afa7-4458-bc7a-43df54eb70a7.html

Minnesota Energy: Coalition Seeks to Lift Ban on New Nuclear

Today I received this media release from Generation Atomic, a Minnesota group whose mission  is to inspire and empower advocates for a clean future powered by atomic energy.

A coalition of Minnesota's largest labor unions, environmental groups, and business organizations recently sent an open letter to state lawmakers and the Governor, urging them to end the state's 30-year-old ban on new nuclear power development. The Coalition for Minnesota Nuclear, organized by local nonprofit Generation Atomic, warns that the state risks missing a generational opportunity as other states across the country race to attract billions in nuclear energy investment. 

"The science is clear: we cannot address climate change without nuclear power. Minnesota's moratorium blocks meaningful climate action, and if we're serious about protecting future generations, it must be repealed," said Dr. James Hansen, coalition member and climate scientist who famously warned Congress about global warming in 1988.

 

click to enlarge

The Coalition's formation comes as Minnesota grapples with the planned retirement of seven coal units by 2035, including the massive Sherco facility near Monticello. This transition presents both a challenge and an opportunity, according to Eric Meyer, Executive Director of Generation Atomic. "Nuclear could provide thousands of high-wage jobs at these existing industrial sites, which already have transmission infrastructure and cooling water access," Meyer said. "Recent Department of Energy analysis suggests the US will need 700-900 GW of new clean firm capacity by 2050. Minnesota’s share would be about 7 gigawatts – roughly six large reactors' worth of clean, reliable power."

 

The Coalition opposed an earlier unsuccessful Senate bill that would only lift the ban for reactors 300 megawatts or less, written with the rationale that small modular reactors might be cheaper. "When people focus on nuclear costs, they often miss two key points," Meyer noted. "First, it’s experience that dramatically reduces construction costs -- the second AP1000 unit at Georgia's Vogtle plant cost 30% less than the first. Second, when you look at total system costs - including transmission, storage, and backup generation -- a grid with both nuclear and renewables comes in 37% cheaper than trying to do it with renewables alone. This is why, when looking at replacing Sherco's capacity, it might make more sense to build one larger reactor than several smaller ones. We should leave that door open and let the Public Utilities Commission and Utilities figure out what makes the most sense.”

"Over the past 18 months, Generation Atomic has engaged thousands of Minnesotans through community events, including handing out over 5,000 bananas at the Minnesota State Fair to demonstrate natural radiation levels. "When people learn that eating a banana results in a 0.1 microsievert dose -- more radiation than living near a nuclear plant for a year -- it helps put the safety discussion in perspective," said Joe Spartz, who leads Generation Atomic's Minnesota Volunteer Team. "While used fuel requires careful management, the robust containers we use have proven completely safe for decades. The real waste crisis we face is the billions of tons of carbon dioxide warming our planet."

 

Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023 and nuclear engineer brings a unique perspective from across the border. "As a proud Wisconsinite, I'm glad my home state got rid of its nuclear ban years ago," she said. "Nuclear plants create thousands of high-wage jobs while fighting climate change. Come on Minnesota - are you really going to let the Badgers beat you on smart energy policy?"

 

The timing is critical as neighboring states move quickly, in addition to Wisconsin, Illinois, and Kentucky, Montana, West Virginia, and Connecticut have passed laws allowing new nuclear in recent years, while shuttered plants in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Iowa are undergoing or planning restarts. Utah recently established a consortium to develop and deploy new reactors.

 

"While 80% of solar panels come from China, Minnesota's nuclear industry already provides 6,500 in-state jobs and $1.4 billion to our economy," Meyer added. "Federal funding and private capital aren't waiting. Every state that lifts its ban becomes a magnet for investment; every delay makes Minnesota a spectator in its own energy story."

* * * 

I believe energy is going to be one of the most significant issues we grapple with throughout this century. The time to get informed is now. 

Related Story: Is Our Energy Grid At Risk?

For more information about the Coalition for Minnesota Nuclear, visit MnNuclear.Org

About the Coalition for Minnesota Nuclear.

The Coalition comprises over 20 organizations representing a diverse cross-section of Minnesota stakeholders committed to advancing the state's clean energy future through nuclear power development. Members include major utilities like Dairyland Power; twelve building trades unions including the Minnesota Building and Construction Trade Council and Operating Engineers Local 49; influential business groups such as the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Duluth Chamber of Commerce; leading environmental and advocacy organizations including Citizens' Climate Lobby - Minnesota, Generation Atomic, and Mothers for Nuclear; and notable experts including renowned climate scientists Dr. James E. Hansen and Dr. Kerry Emanuel, as well as Grace Stanke, Miss America 2023 and nuclear engineer. Coalition supporters also include major trade associations representing rural electric cooperatives, commercial real estate developers, and shopping centers across Minnesota. Recently the Coalition joined an allied effort, the Minnesota Nuclear Energy Alliance.

 

Full Disclosure: I became aware of this organization while researching an article last year regarding nuclear power and Minnesota's energy needs for Business North.

How Much Land Does It Take? Wndmills and Solar Farms

PUTTING THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE DEPT. 

click to enlarge

Population of Minnesota: 5.7 million

Amount of land needed to power Minnesota with Wind: 4,223.7 km sq.*

Problem: Sometimes the wind doesn't blow. Check out this story from Business Insider.

Wind Energy's Summer Slump Bolsters Natural Gas Dominance

https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/wind-energys-summer-slump-bolsters-natural-gas-dominance-1033614255

Last week, U.S. wind power output slumped to the lowest in almost three years, and generators ramped up natural gas use to keep the lights on. This is not a glitch or a one-time occurrence. It is simply the reality and highlights the difference between reliability and climate ambitions. And the former will always trump the latter.

—Business Insider

* * * * * 

* I doubt this is entirely accurate once you factor in the amount of energy required to operate the mines. A friend told me 25 years ago (if I remember correctly) that Minnesota Power had six power plants. Each of the five mines had a dedicated plant and the sixth provided electricity to all the homes in Northern Minnesota. If we factor in the mines and industral needs, the amount of area for wind farms might be double the above.

** FWIW: The typical life span of a wind turbine is 20 years, with routine maintenance required every six months. Wind turbine power output is variable due to the fluctuation in wind speed.

Is Our Energy Grid At Risk?

Minnesota energy providers say being carbon free by 2040 won’t be easy

On Feb. 7, 2023, Gov. Tim Walz signed Senate File 4, also known as the Minnesota Clean Energy Acceleration Act, pledging to lower greenhouse gas emissions by mandating a carbon-free electricity standard by 2040. Technically, the new legislation is a revision to previous energy targets with an updated renewable energy standard of 55% by 2035. The law also adds new carbon-free benchmarks that also must be met: 80% by 2030, 90% by 2035 and 100% by 2040.

While the new legislation stresses the importance of reliable, affordable and safe energy resources, some energy experts have expressed concerns about the fragility of our energy grid including the North American Electric Reliability Corp. NERC is a not-for-profit international regulatory authority. In its December 2023 Long-Term Risk Assessment report, it placed this region in the highest risk category. It says the “high risk” label indicates that electricity supply resources may not be adequate to meet demand in extreme situations. One reason is the moratorium on nuclear plant construction that has been in place since 1994. Nuclear is one of the only carbon-free alternatives that can always meet demand.

Though there are many challenges on the road ahead. Energy suppliers have been ramping up for the future for a long time. This article seeks to bring a basic understanding of how our energy systems work, the severity of threats and what is being done to ensure a brighter future. 

Understanding the grid

Most people give very little thought to where our electricity originates. We flick a switch and the lights go on. We plug in appliances and electronic devices expecting them to power up. Here’s what we don’t see.

The United States is actually composed of three power grids. The largest runs from the Eastern Seaboard to the Rockies. With the exception of Texas, all of these states are running in sync, interconnected and operating on the same frequency. The Western Interconnect, hugging the Pacific Ocean, is on a separate grid. Texas has a grid of its own.

Within the grid there are Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs), non-profit agencies that manage the electrical markets, acting like a New York Stock Exchange for wholesale power bought and sold on a minute-by-minute basis in its territory. Minnesota is in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator(MISO) region. Spanning parts of 15 states, MISO has two major roles: It balances the load on the large transmission lines within its region and it operates the wholesale power markets. MISO owns no infrastructure.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) stands as the overarching regulatory authority governing the entire system, with a mission to achieve “reliable, efficient and sustainable energy for consumers.” In addition to overseeing interstate electricity distribution, the agency regulates pipelines for natural gas and oil, as well as some related facilities and hydropower projects.

The primary aim of energy providers and regulators is three-fold: reliable, affordable and safe energy. In fact, it’s mandatory. Each of these is essential; none can be neglected or compromised. This is one of the primary challenges with which energy providers concern themselves.

Co-ops and utilities

On the state level, energy is delivered through co-ops and utilities. According to Joe Miller, director of communications for the Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA), its electric co-ops serve 1.7 million Minnesotans through 44 distribution cooperatives in all 87 counties while operating the largest distribution network in the state with more than 135,000 miles of electric lines. A percentage of these, like East Central Energy and Great Lakes Energy, are member-owned cooperatives. A larger number, like the 3,000 electric customers in Proctor, are served by municipal co-ops. 

The co-ops do not create most of the electricity they deliver to homes and businesses. Rather, they resell power that comes from a multitude of companies that own and operate the power plants, solar arrays and wind farms. 

When it comes to meeting the ambitious net zero carbon targets by 2040, all three primary providers – Minnesota Power, Great River Energy and Xcel Energy-Minnesota – expressed confidence that they are well on their way toward meeting or exceeding the mileposts laid out by state government. 

Kevin Coss, senior media relations representative for Xcel Energy, noted “Xcel Energy was the first electric company in the nation to set a vision to deliver 100% carbon-free electricity. We supported the 2040 legislation and are committed to achieving a zero-carbon future as quickly as possible while also ensuring affordability and reliability. The electricity we currently provide to our Minnesota customers is nearly 70% carbon-free.” Two-thirds of this is from the Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear-powered plants.

John Brekke, vice president and chief power supply officer at Great River Energy (GRE), likewise affirmed that its Minnesota-based member co-ops “will be 90% carbon-free by 2035. We are aligned with that target.” 

Minnesota Power’s Communications Director Amy Ruttledge stated that the Duluth-based utility has been actively moving in this direction for nearly two decades. 

“We were 95% coal-based in 2005. We have since closed seven of our nine coal plants,” she said. Minnesota Power already delivers more than 60% renewable energy to their customers, Ruttledge added. “We’re not starting from scratch. We are actively carrying out objectives.” This includes eventually closing the Boswell 3 and 4 plants, putting out RFPs for  new solar (300 MW) and wind (400 MW) projects and making other investments in the grid. 

“Grid resilience is critical,” Ruttledge said. 

The role of nuclear

“Nuclear energy will play an important role in the clean energy future as a source of ‘always on,’ carbon-free electricity,” said Xcel’s Coss. “Our two nuclear plants have reliably provided Minnesotans with carbon-free energy for about 50 years and currently constitute 28% of the electricity we serve to customers. Neither of the nuclear plants have been scheduled for decommissioning; in fact, we are currently taking the steps needed to extend the operating license of our Monticello nuclear plant and will follow suit with our Prairie Island nuclear plant in an upcoming regulatory filing.” These extensions, after a full in-depth safety analysis that takes years to complete – will allow the Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear plants to remain online until 2053 and 2054, Coss explained. 

In early December, Justin Jahnz, president and CEO of East Central Energy, discussed with BusinessNorth some of the intricacies of this issue. 

“Energy is a complex conversation. At first it seems easy but is quite complicated. One hundred percent carbon free is different from 100% renewable. Wind, which is affordable and prevalent, can cover a lot. We also need capacity. In the next 60 to 90 days there will be cold weather and cold nights. There’s no solar at night and often not a lot of wind. We need to have dispatchable resources.” 

This is where peaking plants currently come in. Natural gas peaking plants are designed to meet temporary peaks in electricity demand. They operate only when the demand for electricity is high, typically for short periods in the heart of winter here or hot summer months in the South. This makes them different from baseload power plants, which run continuously to meet the constant minimum demand for electricity.

“Natural gas is affordable in summer, but expensive in the winter,” Jahntz said. “When needed, it can be dispatched. Reliability trumps everything, and should. But (we) should also be thinking about progress so we can reduce the amount of carbon we put into the atmosphere.”

He currently has concerns, however, about meeting the 2040 targets without nuclear. 

“There’s a lot of development around SMRs (small modular reactors). Some organizations are making great progress, and I think there’s a lot of potential. The political appetite here is relatively low.” 

When the 70-year history of nuclear submarines was noted as an example of DMR safety, Jahntz said “a lot of those nuclear reactors were run by the federal government, which does not operate on a financial/economic basis.”

“The biggest misconception people have is this,” said Jahntz. “There is no realistic storage function of the grid. There is a lot of demand volatility. We may see situations where we have rolling blackouts. I don’t think people will put up with that very long.”

The problem, according to Miller, is that both wind and solar are intermittent sources. “And those sources are not controlled by the generation company like all our other sources. The generation company has to adapt to a continuous fluctuation in power generation.”

Additional concerns 

Lake Country Power, a Touchstone Energy Cooperative, serves parts of Aitkin, Carlton, Cass, Itasca, Koochiching, Lake, Pine and St. Louis counties. The co-op provides electricity and other energy related services to nearly 43,000 members in the rural parts of northern Minnesota. With more than 8,200 miles of distribution lines within 10,872 square miles of service territory, LCP is geographically Minnesota’s largest electric cooperative.

Lake Country Power receives and distributes power from its supplier, Great River Energy. GRE is a not-for-profit electricity provider owned by 28 distribution cooperatives in Minnesota and Wisconsin, including Lake Country Power. GRE generates and transmits electricity.

Mark Bakk, general manager at Lake Country Power, expressed concerns about meeting the renewables target in the governor’s energy bill. 

“To me, we’re going to have a problem. If they are really serious about being carbon free, we need nuclear. Right now, the target is 80% carbon-free by 2030.”  The biggest problem with nuclear, Bakk said, is the public’s perception. “We have to get over the fear.” After citing Three Mile Island and Fukushima, he added, “They don’t build nuclear plants that way anymore. There is new technology, including small modular reactors (SMRs) that have been effective for decades.”

Bakk stated that energy distribution is exceedingly complex. “Keeping everything going involves a lot of moving parts. It’s not as simple as people think.”

Storage

In the 15 years that Ruttledge has been with Minnesota Power, she’s found it quite striking how quickly things have changed. 

“This transformation of our industry is amazing,” she said. This applies to every facet, including the challenges.

“Storage is something that is evolving. We’re exploring storage technologies. It’s about being commercially viable and cost effective. Storage will definitely play an important part in this transformation,” Ruttledge said. “We’re continuously investigating these new forms of technology. This transition is happening fast, and storage plays an important part.”

Transmission lines

Transmission lines were another matter addressed in various ways by several energy spokespersons. The rollout of wind farms and solar arrays is taking place in areas not presently serviced by adequate power lines, if there are power lines at all. Even when the technology is ready, permitting can create delays. 

Bakk pointed out that “if you look at the state where we are, the lines are owned by GRE or Minnesota Power. They have open access, the two providers using each other’s lines. Working on a joint transmission project, permitting reform is needed to meet deadlines. Solar panel arrays and wind farms aren’t sited where the energy is used, so more transmission lines are needed, and it all costs money. There are going to have to be changes, common sense changes for reliability and affordability. A better-defined process and better-defined timelines are needed.”

The risk

Returning to the matter of risk, Philip Hult, development coordinator at Generation Atomic, helped explain the dilemma. The best way to understand it is to chart the trajectories of renewables and carbon-free energy, past, present and future. The renewables targets established in 2007 were a set of stairsteps up to the 25% by 2025 which Minnesota providers have done well to exceed by means of wind, solar, small hydro, biomass and trash.  

The new carbon-free standard signed into law in February 2023, which includes all the renewables above plus nuclear, is 100% by 2040 and 55% renewable by 2035. The climb to 55% renewable will be a challenge, but does not seem absurdly out of reach. The leap to 100% carbon-free, however, will be impossible without a lot of firm, dispatchable carbon-free power, many energy experts agree. With the technologies available currently, that means nuclear. There’s simply too great of a gap between the projected decarbonization trajectory and the targets of upcoming years, Bakk and other fear.

The Minnesota mandates appear incompatible. The 2023 mandate can’t be achieved. without carbon-free nuclear power. The 1994 mandate prohibits new nuclear.

Despite the concerns raised and challenges to address, there is a surprising amount of optimism about the future. Jahnz said, “We need to be pragmatic and have conversations about the future of energy in this country. I am confident the legislature will continue to listen and work toward better solutions. I believe our best years are ahead of us. I try to stay politically agnostic. We’re involved in politics but we’re working in the best interest of our customers.” 

--This article originally appeared in the February 2024 issue of Business North