Minnesota Power announced that one of three coal-fired units at Taconite Harbor would be taken off-line sometime during the middle of 2015. Units 1 and 2 were retrofitted with new emission control equipment in 2007 and 2008 and will remain in operation as long as they continue to meet current and pending air pollution rules. The move will leave the plant with 150 megawatts of electrical generation capabilities, down from 225 megawatts.
On Wednesday, January 30 Minnesota Power, a division of ALLETE, announced its intention to close one of the three coal-fired units at its Taconite Harbor Energy Center in Schroeder.
As of press time it wasn’t known how many—if any— employees would be terminated or reassigned to other power plants owned by Minnesota Power. But according to a press release, ALLETE CEO Al Hodnik said, “Like many other employers in our region, Minnesota Power is experiencing a significant workforce transition now and for several years ahead. Every effort will be made to redeploy skilled employees from affected facilities across our system, as EnergyForward evolves.”
According to Hodnik, EnergyForward is “a road map to a cleaner energy future.”
At Taconite Harbor, Unit 3 will be taken off-line mid 2015, while Units 1 and 2 will be maintained and kept in operation.
“We will run it until we have to shut it down to comply with the emission rules,” said Minnesota Power Vice President of Strategy and Planning Al Rudeck.
This change will reduce Taconite Harbor’s electrical generating capabilities from 225 megawatts to 150 megawatts. Both units left operating have been upgraded with pollution control equipment for mercury and other emissions and meet current and state and federal emissions standards.
As Minnesota Power moves away from coal-fired power plants, it has invested in a mix of wind, natural gas, and hydroenergy while updating its coal-fired emissions standards to comply with ever-tightening state and federal emission requirements.
The move at Taconite Harbor also comes at the same time Minnesota Power announced it will invest $15 million into converting Laskin Energy Center in Hoyt Lakes from a coal-fired to naturalgas run power plant.
“We believe re-fueling Laskin and retiring one generating unit at our Taconite Harbor facility are the most cost-effective solutions for our small coal units to comply with state and federal regulations,” said Rudeck.
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