An effort will be made this year in the Minnesota legislature to require the state’s electric utilities to move away from fossil fuel sources. The announcement was made by Minnesota Senate Republicans and it could mean the measure could become law following a divided state legislature last year.
Sen. David Osmek, R-Mound, chairs the Senate Energy and Utilities Committee and previously opposed the proposal to require electric companies to prioritize carbon-free resources when building new power plants or replacing retired facilities. Exceptions would apply if the clean energy alternative can be proven to be unaffordable or can’t meet the need of the facility under the plan.
The measure varies from existing law in that it would require the utility companies to show that a renewable energy source alone or in cooperation with other clean energy sources can’t meet the expected needs of a new or refurbished facility,, according to a report by the Minnesota PostBulletin.
The new GOP push behind the plan comes as the state weighs how it will transition 70% of its electric generation sources in the next two decades and as individual electric companies have set goals for themselves to transition away from fossil fuel sources in the next 30 years.
“‘Clean Energy First’ addresses our long-term energy needs in an affordable and reliable way by allowing technology and the economy to drive innovation in the energy sector,” Osmek said in a news release. “Mandates only drive up cost; we need to keep that in perspective as it relates to the cost of energy in Minnesota for all energy consumers.”
News of Senate Republicans’ willingness to take up the plan generated support from lawmakers who’d worked on a similar bill and from clean energy advocates.
Rep. Zack Stephenson, D-Coon Rapids, carried a similar bill in 2019 along with Sen. David Senjem, R-Rochester, and said the move by Republicans to bring a bill was a “big step.”
Gov. Tim Walz and House Democrats have also pushed for more aggressive changes to address climate change, including moving Minnesota’s electric sector to 100% renewable energy by 2050. The measure failed to pass the Legislature in 2019 and Osmek has said the plan is a non-starter and could leave Minnesotans vulnerable to gaps in coverage due to drastic changes in weather.
The Senate Committee is set to hold field hearings on the plan in Rochester on Jan. 15 and in Minnetrista on Jan. 22. The Minnesota Legislature is set to reconvene for the 2020 legislative session on Feb. 11.
Source: Minnesota PostBulletin
