Minnesota's largest coal plant is now wiring 1.7 million solar panels powering 150,000 homes

Xcel Energy completed the third phase of Sherco Solar in Becker, Minnesota, on July 21, making it the largest solar facility in Minnesota with 710 MW from 1.7 million panels, powering about 150,000 homes.

Sherco Solar uses the transmission infrastructure and interconnection rights of the adjacent Sherburne County Generating Station, Minnesota's largest coal plant, which operated since 1976.

By reusing the coal plant's interconnection rights, Sherco Solar avoided the typical five-year grid connection wait, cutting it to under one year, according to the nonprofit RMI.

The Midcontinent Independent System Operator allows retiring plants to transfer interconnection rights for three years, which Xcel exercised; these rights cannot be sold.

A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory count shows 2,061 GW of proposed generation waiting in interconnection queues, more than all U.S. operating capacity, highlighting the benefit of Sherco's approach.