This article is the first in a series discussing the findings of American Experiment’s latest report, The High Cost of 100 Percent Carbon-Free Electricity: Governor Walz’s Proposal Would Cost Minnesota…
Minnesota sits at an energy crossroads. Since enacting the Next Generation Energy Act (NGEA) in 2007, which required that 25percent of the state’s electricity come from wind and solar power…
American Experiment’s campaign to persuade Xcel Energy and the Public Utilities Commission to delay the retirement of Unit 2 at the Sherburne County Generating Station (Sherco) is gaining steam. Make…
The Board of Directors for the regional electric grid to which Minnesota belongs, Midcontinent Independent Systems Operator (MISO), recently voted to approve nearly $10.3 billion in new transmission lines—$2 billion…
Rolling blackouts may hit Minnesota this summer because electric companies have closed down too many reliable power plants — think coal, nuclear and natural gas — on the regional electric grid and…
Electric companies in Wisconsin have announced they will delay the closure of three coal plants in the Badger State due to a shortage of reliable power plant capacity on the…
The article below originally appeared in MinnPost. It was written by Isaac Orr On May 31, Sen. John Marty argued in MinnPost that nuclear power is “merely a distraction” to addressing climate. This…
A recent report by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) has determined that the regional electric grid to which Minnesota belongs, the Midcontinent Independent Systems Operator (MISO), faces the…
The Star Tribune has finally said the “b-word:” blackouts. Several of our readers reached out to me over the weekend to share this article from the Star Tribune, entitled “Midwest,…
The regional electric grid, the Midcontinent Independent Systems Operator (MISO), recently announced that there is not enough reliable power plant capacity on its system to meet its anticipated peak demand…
American Experiment policy fellow Isaac Orr returns to the Nuclear Barbarians Podcast to discuss his latest feature story in Thinking Minnesota entitled “Below Zero Blackouts.” Isaac and Emmet also dive…
It is a well-understood phenomenon that wind generation in the Midwest essentially disappears when the mercury dips below -22° F. Electricity generation from wind turbines drops under these circumstances because…
The video below is an excellent primer on why the electric grid is becoming less reliable. Merry Christmas!
Last week, the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) issued its 2021–2022 Winter Reliability Assessment. The findings were sobering. According to Power Magazine: [The report] warned that much of the…
The largest electric grid operator in the United States is scrambling to ensure it has enough coal for the winter in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the devastating…
Xcel Energy made headlines this week by announcing that they will be seeking to increase the cost of electricity by a massive 21.2 percent over the next three years, but…