Coal-fired power plant to offset CO2 emissions

Coal-fired power plant to offset CO₂ emissions

Seven regional utilities that propose building a $1.6 billion coal-fired power plant on the South Dakota border have agreed to offset the CO₂ emissions of the plant's Minnesota customers, according to a local report.

Minnesota customers are expected to consume about half the power the 630-MW plant produces, so the agreement with the state makes the utilities responsible for offsetting about half the 4.7 million tons of carbon that Big Stone II is expected to produce annually. The utilities agreed to build or buy at least 180 MW of energy produced by wind farms owned by local communities or cooperatives.