Northfield and other rural communities continue to have a growing list of stalled renewable energy projects as they pursue their sustainability goals. We realize that eDocket 23-458 and 24-288 show deliberations with partial remedies, yet we believe more action is needed. We call for all parties who are involved and have influence – including the Public Utilities Commission, Xcel Energy, the Department of Commerce, legislators and the Governor’s office – to  expedite resolutions to upgrade the electrical grid. Those with planned or actual renewable energy projects must know by the end of 2026 that these projects can be completed.

Upgrading the grid transformers in Northfield is not merely an infrastructure necessity; it's a commitment to our environment and our community's health. By enhancing our capacity for renewable energy, we are reducing our dependency on fossil fuels and paving the way for a sustainable future. The transition to a renewable energy-friendly infrastructure is an investment in our future, benefiting both our economy and our environment by ensuring that clean energy can efficiently power our homes and businesses.

We call on local government officials, state energy authorities, and utility companies to take immediate and decisive action to upgrade the grid transformers in Northfield. This change is not only desirable but essential for meeting our city’s strategic climate goals. By supporting this petition, you are taking a stand for sustainable progress and urging those in power to make the necessary transformations for a cleaner tomorrow.

Please sign this petition to show your support and commitment to a sustainable future for Northfield.

 

 

 

THE DETAILS AS WE UNDERSTAND IT:

*Starting in 2020, home owners in Northfield discovered that they would need to pay $6,000 - $16,000 for systems-based upgrades for areas of the electrical grid that Xcel declared unable to take more load. 

 

*The problem is caused by outdated regulations and systems that financially favor not moving toward renewable energy.

 

*This problem stopped the bulk-solar program the city had as part of its efforts to meet its Climate Action Plan goals.

 

*The problem has indefinitely shelved a number of the city’s, residents’ and nearby farmers’ solar energy projects and applications for solar energy and battery storage grant opportunities, including the system-ready Hillcrest Village solar array (which impacts low-income residents and the social-services Community Action Center) and the solar array for the city’s new hockey arena.

 

*Northfield contracted with Nokomis Energy in 2022 to create a plan for solving its gridlock problem. Nokomis came up with an excellent plan involving more accurate sensors on the local grid and battery storage to move energy off and on the grid.The city would like to implement at least parts of it, but Xcel won’t allow this. The plan was presented to the State Legislature as a pilot project to solve the state-wide problem, but Xcel has blocked Nokomis from ‘touching its grid’ 

 

*The state House of Representatives pushed for legislation in the 2023 session to require fixes to these problems, and it passed. 

 

*The Public Utilities Commission formed a workgroup to work on the fixes, and offered ideas with little progress. They have suggested releasing the $1.2M Northfield Upgrade so Xcel can begin building increased capacity in Northfield (Docket 23-458).  They have also suggested having a process to ensure the “first-in-line” solar project doesn’t end up paying for the whole neighborhood’s transformer (Docket 24-288). 

 

*Northfield and other places continue to have a growing list of stalled renewable energy projects as it pursues its Climate Action Plan goals.  We are asking for faster and more meaningful progress.