Minnesota Power Announces Plans for Two Solar Projects in Northern Minnesota

On Monday, Minnesota Power announced plans to build two large solar projects in northern Minnesota. The Boswell Solar project will be located in Cohasset in Itasca County and the Regal Solar project will be located near Royalton, Minn., on the border of Morrison and Benton counties, according to a company news release.

It’s all part of the company’s EnergyForward strategy to move toward a cleaner energy future. Minnesota Power says the two sites were selected based on competitive bids as part of the company’s 2023 solar RFP.

Construction of both projects is subject to MPUC approval and other regulatory approvals.

Minnesota Power, a utility division of ALLETE Inc., sent out a statement Monday morning:

The Boswell Solar Project will have 85 megawatts of capacity from approximately 180,000 bifacial solar modules on approximately 600 acres, part of which is owned by Minnesota Power. It will use the existing electrical infrastructure at the Boswell Energy Center, requiring only a collector substation and a short transmission line to connect to the grid. The project is expected to be operational in mid-2027.

The Regal Solar project will have a capacity of 119.5 megawatts from approximately 255,000 bifacial solar modules on approximately 800 acres. The renewable project will be connected to the regional power grid via a new 3.5-mile collector line and substation and is expected to be online in mid-2027.

“These two projects exemplify ALLETE’s sustainability strategy in action by creating local jobs and local renewable energy, and the Boswell Solar Project will support one of our existing host communities as we continue to plan for the future,” Josh Skelton, ALLETE vice president and Minnesota Power chief operating officer, said in the release. “These projects will help us move closer to our goal of delivering more than 80 percent renewable energy by 2030 while working to meet Minnesota state law requiring a carbon-free energy supply by 2040. Both projects include local labor preferences, diverse suppliers and apprenticeships to develop the renewable energy workforce of tomorrow.”

Both projects are part of Minnesota Power’s efforts to achieve the 300 megawatts of regional solar generation called for in Minnesota Power’s Integrated Resource Plan approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) in 2023.