29 August 2023
MONTICELLO, Minn. A recent key approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has opened the door for Xcel Energy to extend operations of the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant through 2040.
Last week, the state’s utility commission approved the certificate of need to expand spent fuel storage at the Wright County plant. The additional storage will require the installation of a second concrete support pad and modular concrete storage system, which is designed to hold 14 additional steel canisters, according to the PUC.
The company said it’s a “major step toward continuing to provide reliable, carbon-free energy for more than 500,000 customers across the Upper Midwest.”
“We thank the Commission, Minnesota Department of Commerce and other stakeholders for their careful review and recognition of the importance of the Monticello nuclear plant to our shared clean energy goals,” said Chris Clark, president of Xcel Energy Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. “Nuclear power is crucial to achieving those goals because of its unique combination of reliability, affordability, and zero emissions.”
The plant operates on a single-unit boiling water reactor powered by nuclear fuel.
Xcel has also filed with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to request an extension of the plant’s operating license. The company expects the federal license review and application process to be completed in late 2024.
Together, the Monticello and Prairie Island nuclear plants provide more than 30% of the electricity that customers use in the Upper Midwest, according to the company.
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