Energy

The meetings in Grand Rapids, Hermantown, Floodwood and online will cover Minnesota Power's proposed 67.5 miles of transmission line between Grand Rapids and Hermantown.

The city and Google jointly agreed to an updated alternative urban areawide review study with a smaller geographic footprint than last fall’s study.

The 110 investor-owned utilities included in the report had an average profit margin of 12.8% from 2021 to 2024 and 14.6% in 2025. Xcel and Otter Tail were in the top 40 both years.

The co-op is free and open to homeowners and business owners in Cass, Crow Wing, Morrison, Todd and Wadena. Members will leverage their numbers to buy solar energy at a competitive price.

City and power officials expressed optimism about the partnership slated to invest in clean energy and energy resiliency, while environmental advocates noted review is still required and necessary.

The Public Utilities Commission declined the request from environmental group CURE and said further discussion and regulation of data centers could take place in separate cases.

Minnesota now has just 19 electric school buses, but more than 20 districts are waiting on deliveries, some by the 2026-2027 school year.

Minnesota Power and American Transmission Co. LLC are proposing to construct approximately 67.5 miles of transmission line between Grand Rapids and Hermantown.

Environmental organization CURE is asking the Public Utilities Commission to investigate the Minnesota Power sale further, given new information about data centers in the region.

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