Unusual bill aims to mandate 5 new coal plants on Sherco site

House file #: 3256 Authors: Rep. Newberger; McDonald
Senate file #: none

In one of the more unusual pieces of legislation to come forward this session, a new bill (HF 3256) would require an as-of-yet unnamed public utility to build no fewer than five brand-new coal-fired power plants at the Sherburne County Generating Station.

This approach appears to be in response to Xcel Energy's widely supported plan to retire the two oldest (and most polluting) units at the site by 2026, and replace them with a larger, cleaner-burning natural gas plant.