DULUTH — Minnesota Power plans to build two large solar projects in Northern Minnesota as part of what parent company Allete calls its “transition to a cleaner energy future while prioritizing regional renewable energy investments”
The Boswell Solar project in Cohasset and the Regal Solar project near Royalton were chosen in a competitive 2023 process for solar proposals.
The Boswell Solar project will have an 85-megawatt capacity from about 180,000 bifacial solar modules, largely using existing electric infrastructure at the Boswell Energy Center to tie into the grid.
“These two projects exemplify ALLETE’s sustainability-in-action strategy 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,” said ALLETE Vice President and Minnesota Power Chief Operating Officer Josh Skelton.
“These projects will help move us toward our goal of providing more than 80% renewable energy by 2030 while working toward meeting the state of Minnesota law calling for carbon-free energy supplies by 2040. Both projects include preferences for local labor, diverse suppliers, and apprenticeships to train tomorrow’s renewable energy workforce.”
Both projects are expected to come online in mid-2027, with construction contingent on regulatory approvals from agencies like the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.
Funding for this environmental story was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
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Contributed/Nicole Neri / Minnesota ReformerInput costs are rising due to the trade war and the Iran war. Eight farmers have already filed for bankruptcy this year, double the amount for the entire year of 2024. -
Plus: Minnesota State's board of trustees names new interim president for Central Lakes College; Gov. Tim Walz appoints Theodora Gaitas as next Supreme Court Chief Justice; and the U of M Extension is offering free well test kits in the Brainerd area. -
This is the Up North Lookback, where we’re digging into the local news archives from 50 years ago — the year KAXE was born. It’s the week of May 25.
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The tick biodiversity project is driven by citizen scientists' reports of all tick species. Similar research hasn't been done since the 1940s.
