Minnesota's Poop Power Plant Could Close

PRARIE ISLAND, MN — A power plant located in southwestern Minnesota that burns turkey poop could close. For 10 years, roughly 50 megawatts of power has come from Benson Power plant's burning of turkey droppings and other forms of biomass.

However, the plant's employees were told this week that the plant could close, Minnesota Public Radio reported:

The plant gave area turkey farmers a new market for manure and created work for truckers who deliver some 500,000 tons of biomass to the plant annually. The plant accounts for a quarter of the city's current property tax revenues, said Anfinson, who also serves on the city's economic development authority.

"We have a huge financial interest in it continuing to operate," he said.

Xcel has about 10 years left on a contract to buy the power at a premium, but the utility wants out.

"The costs to rate payers are near $100 million a year, the environmental benefits are minimal, and it just hasn't worked," said Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington and chairman of the House energy committee.

Xcel officials declined to be interviewed for this story, but said in a statement that biomass power costs up to 10 times more than new wind power.

Read much more at Minnesota Public Radio.

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