Xcel Energy recently announced it wants to get out of contracts to buy electricity from Laurentian Energy's municipal power plants in Hibbing and Virginia. In 2006 the power plants converted part of their production to make energy from wood biomass rather than coal. It's the latest blow to the declining forest products industry in northern Minnesota. Xcel says energy from wood is too expensive. The Associated Contract Loggers and Truckers are going to court to try to stop Xcel's move. We spoke with the Executive Director of Associated Contract Loggers, Scott Dane. Read recent coverage of the story by the Minneapolis Star Tribune and New York Times.
Loggers and Truckers Try to Save Wood Energy Generation in Hibbing and Virginia

Star-Tribune