By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News
With Xcel Energy’s filing with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission June 30 for approval to purchase the Benson Power, LLC, biomass power plant the next phase that could lead to its shutdown and demolition is underway.
The request also asks that the Power Purchase Agreement obligating Xcel to buy Benson Power’s electricity for the next 10 years be terminated. In addition, Xcel made four other filings with the PUC related to ending the state’s biomass mandate requiring it to buy power produced from wood chips, turkey litter and other biomass.
“The overall goal of all of these filings is the same: to lower customer costs while continuing to provide safe, reliable service,” it states in its PUC filing. “If approved by the Commission, these initiatives together will achieve over $531 million in total cost savings (nominally) for our customers over the next 10 years.”