ST. CROIX COUNTY, Minn. – A solar energy project in western Wisconsin is drawing opposition from thousands of people.
Xcel Energy is in the early stages of planning a 5,000-acre solar project in eastern St. Croix County.
“About two-thirds of that land has already been secured from private landowners who either want to take land used for agricultural purposes and use it for solar energy generation, or it is land that has not been used for any purpose. to date,” said Brian Elwood, regional vice president of Xcel Energy.
More than 2,100 people have signed an online petition against the project, expressing concerns about the impact on the environment and disruption to the agricultural sector.
“We need alternative energy sources, but we also need to take the time and do due diligence and do it right,” said Deborah Graul, who lives in rural Hudson.
Dwight Wolter lives in New Richmond. He signed the petition because he wants to preserve the natural beauty of the province.
“A lot of that [solar] These types of things are not kind to the wildlife in the area,” Wolter said. “I know they need energy because we are growing rapidly in this area, but there are other alternatives that I think would be better.”
Wolter says he prefers options that take up less space, such as a hydroelectric power plant.
Elwood says this project should replace energy production that will be lost when the coal-fired Allen S. King Generating Plant near Stillwater closes in 2028.
Like that plant, the solar fields would provide power to customers in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
“We want to ensure that not only once a project is developed is it done in an environmentally responsible manner, but that the way we build it is also minimally invasive,” Elwood said.
Xcel says construction of the project would create hundreds of jobs.
The utility plans to submit its application for the project to the Wisconsin Public Services Commission.
The review process, which includes environmental impact studies and public input, will take about a year.
Elwood says the project aligns with Xcel’s goals to deliver 85% carbon-free energy by 2030 and 100% carbon-free energy by 2050.
