Good news everyone! There’s a giant gas-fired power plant getting ready to start construction in Superior. Everyone is excited about it and there’s zero opposition. Oh wait. This is Wisconsin, so it’s the opposite situation.
Here’s Five Fast Facts About Wisconsin’s New Power Plant Project:
- 🏭 Power! - Minnesota Power has signed an agreement as part of its plan to build a $700m, 625-megawatt energy center along the Meadji River.
- 🧑🏭 More Power! - They’ll be working with Dairyland Power Cooperative out of LaCrosse and Basin Electric Power Cooperative in North Dakota.
- 🏭 Jobs! - Company reps said it will create 350 jobs during peak construction and result in an $1B investment in the region over the next 20 years and create 25 full-time positions. They also promise to bring solar and wind power to the region, too.
- 🌋 Rolling Coal - Minnesota Power has closed seven of its nine coal plants and says this project will help further reduce emissions by displacing those plants.
- 🛑 Not So Fast - Here’s the part you’re waiting for: the project has some opposition. The Sierra Club, Clean Wisconsin, and the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa want to put the brakes on everything for a variety of reasons. I’m sure this won’t end up in court for years.
🔥Bottom line: Jobs. Money. Energy. Opposition. It seems like it’s the same song over and over here in Wisconsin. Hopefully this one won’t get tied up for years like some of the pipeline projects, because it seems to have some real benefits for everyone involved.
What do you think of the project?
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