Minnesota Power filed its resource plan in October 2009, assuming that its existing fleet of forty and fifty year-old coal plants would continue to serve customers for decades more.  MCEA and its client organizations showed through comments and modeling analysis that costs to Minnesota Power customers were lower if the utility took action to retire its older under-performing coal units.  The Public Utilities Commission ordered Minnesota Power in May 2011 to work with MCEA and other stakeholders to closely analyze the cost-benefits of retiring one or more of the utility’s old coal-fired power plants. 

In May, 2012 MCEA demonstrated through technical analysis that coal units Laskin 1 and 2 and Taconite Harbor unit 3 were no longer part of a least cost electricity portfolio. To continue operating these facilities past 2015 would pose an unfair burden to rate payers. Timing of the retirement of other aging coal-fired plants on the Minnesota Power system should be analyzed with an additional study next year.

Coal plants such as Laskin and Taconite Harbor are emitters of numerous hazardous air pollutants. In addition, particulate pollution emitted from coal plants is a significant contributor to cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes, and increases the risk of premature death. Coal plants also have enormous cooling-water requirements that adversely impact local water bodies. Unlike other sources of electricity, coal plants release mercury, which is associated with nervous system disorders. A recent Minnesota Department of Health study found that 1 in 10 Minnesota babies tested had methylmercury blood levels above the safe limit set by EPA.

MCEA Documents  

Public Comments in the Minnesota Power Baseload Diversification Study

Initial Public Comments in the Minnesota Power IRP Case

Outside Documents

Minnsota Power IRP PUC Decision

Media

"Minnesota Power looks at less coal," Duluth News Tribune, Nov. 21, 2011

Learn more about MCEA’s energy program.