Statewide Blog

Canadian power storage won’t count in Minnesota

Duluth-based Minnesota Power has entered a contract with Manitoba Hydro to help decrease the power company's reliance on coal-based energy sources.

The deal helps Minnesota Power address energy storage problems that arise from renewable sources like wind turbines and solar. Candace Renalls from the Duluth News Tribune explains how it works:

On days when wind production is high or electric loads are low, electricity produced by Minnesota Power's wind farms in North Dakota will be transmitted to Canada. Manitoba Hydro will absorb the energy into its system in the form of unused water and store it, similar to a rechargeable battery.

It's a good move for the environment, but it won't help the Minnesota company comply with a state mandate to produce a quarter of it's electricity from a renewable energy source by 2025. Canadian hydro power is excluded from that calculation.

Also clicking on MN Today

Duluth City Councilor Jeff Anderson seeks DFL nod in the 8th district

A Duluth city councilor plans to vie for the seat of freshman Congressman Chip Cravaack in 2012.Ely Native Jeff Anderson officially announced his candidacy Wednesday for Minnesota's 8th Congressional seat (Northland News Center).

St Cloud rally held to support diversity after assault

More than 100 people gathered Wednesday night in support of diversity and equality on the 20th block of Fifth Avenue South. The gathering was a response to what St. Cloud police described as the beating of a gay man because of his sexual orientation. Three men are in jail with charges related to the incident (St. Cloud Times).

Ely Nurses reject contract, authorize strike vote

Nurses at Ely-Bloomenson Community hospital voted Wednesday to reject the hospital's final contract offer.The 32 nurses also authorized union leaders to call for a strike (Northland News Center).

Bachmann says she will wait to announce plans in June

Rep. Michele Bachmann said Wednesday she's going to stick with her original schedule to announce presidential plans in June -- not today in Iowa (St. Cloud Times).

Fed president says economy will improve in 2011, but not much

Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Narayana Kocherlakota on Wednesday offered a cautious prediction to a group in Rochester: The U.S. economy will be slightly better in 2011 than it was in 2010 (Rochester Post Bulletin).

Iron Range owner of horses that starved to death gets $385 fine

A woman charged with neglecting animals on a small farm near Tower has been fined $385 and prohibited from owning more than one farm animal in the future (Duluth News Tribune).

Minnesota Scenes

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