St. Paul, Minn. – On Thursday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy’s request for a certificate of need to expand spent fuel storage at Monticello’s Nuclear Generating Plant in Wright County.
The Monticello plant operates a single unit boiling water reactor powered by nuclear fuel. The Monticello plant, along with Prairie Island’s nuclear plant, makes up approximately 24 percent of the electricity generated in Minnesota.
Spent nuclear fuel from the operation of the plant is initially stored in a pool inside the plant and then transferred to an outdoor storage installation. Xcel requested additional outdoor storage to accommodate the extension of the plant’s operating life by 10 years – from 2030 to 2040. This additional storage requires installation of a second concrete support pad and modular concrete storage system designed to hold 14 additional steel canisters.
The Commission’s decision does not address plant operations beyond 2040, which will be subject to review in future resource planning proceedings. Additional project information found in Docket 21-668.
About
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission regulates three cornerstone service industries in Minnesota's economy: electricity, natural gas, and telephone. The Commission’s mission is to create and maintain a regulatory environment that ensures safe, adequate, and efficient utility services at fair, reasonable rates consistent with State telecommunications and energy policies. It does so by providing independent, consistent, professional, and comprehensive oversight and regulation of utility service providers. Learn more at mn.gov/puc.
