A series: How Gov. Walz’s 100 percent carbon-free electricity mandate would cost $313 billion and lead to blackouts

Minnesota sits at an energy crossroads.

Since enacting the Next Generation Energy Act (NGEA) in 2007, which required that 25
percent of the state’s electricity come from wind and solar power by 2025, electricity prices
have risen dramatically, and the reliability of our electric grid has grown increasingly fragile.

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) shows that Minnesota’s electricity prices have risen more than twice as fast as the national average since
2007, and the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) recently issued a dire
report concluding the Upper Midwest, including Minnesota, does not have enough reliable
power plants online to meet electricity demand with a margin of safety.

This shortfall of reliable power plants exists because too many electric companies have shuttered their reliable coal, natural gas, and nuclear power plants and are becoming increasingly reliant on weather-dependent wind and solar power, increasing the
risk of rolling blackouts this summer.

Minnesotans have two options. Option 1: We can continue to pursue the same energy
policies that brought us to this situation while hoping for different results, or Option 2: We
can correct course and focus on providing reliable, affordable electricity to the families
and businesses that rely upon it while seeking cost-effective ways to improve environmental
outcomes.

Unfortunately, it appears Minnesota Governor Tim Walz will pursue Option 1.

This landing page will serve as a reference point for a series of articles discussing the findings of our latest report, The High Cost of 100 Percent Carbon-Free Electricity: Governor Walz’s Proposal Would Cost Minnesota $313 Billion Through 2050 and Lead to Blackouts.

Part 1: How the Walz Proposal would radically alter our electric grid

Part 2: The Walz Proposal requires a massive buildout of wind turbines, solar panels, and battery storage capacity

Part 3: Quintupling installed power plant capacity is expensive