Minnesota Developers Studying Possibility of New Generation Worth $6 Billion

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Minnesota developers are planning to add about 5,847 megawatts (MW) of new power generation worth about $6 billion at 32 plants. The new power would be composed of a diverse fuel mix excluding only nuclear and coal; but in their place will be the integrated gasification of biomass, coal and petroleum coke to drive combined-cycle (IGCC) units (combustion turbine/generators with heat-recovery steam generators). Minnesota currently has about 13,900 MW of operational generation at 108 plants. Current generation includes biomass, coal, hydroelectric, natural gas, nuclear, oil and wind sources to create energy.

With 57 individual units planned, Minnesota leads the Midwest Region in the number new generation units under development and is the third largest state in the region for planned megawattage with 5,835 MW.

Click on the image at right to view Midwest Region New Generation Analysis Chart.

The majority of Minnesota's new generation, 4,375 MW (74.8%), will be gas-fired utilizing either natural gas or synthetic gas. Two IGCC projects (the Mesaba Energy Projects) are being studied by Excelsior Energy Incorporated (Minnetonka, Minnesota) in Taconite and Hoyt Lakes, Minnesota. The proposed wind energy projects totaling 1,345 MW (23%) are led by High Country Windfarm being developed by National Wind LLC and High Country Wind LLC, both of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The balance of the new generation will be supplied by biomass-to-energy projects (111 MW) and hydroelectric projects (16 MW).

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