Minnesota has greenlit Xcel Energy’s 200 MW battery-based VPP—the solar industry isn’t happy. (Utility Dive)
MPUC will allow Xcel to deploy its 1-3 MW battery systems across its distribution grid by 2028 (in partnership with deployment services company Sparkfund).
The precedent: This makes Minnesota the only state with a utility-owned distributed storage model, as noted by SEIA and the Coalition for Community Solar Access. By eliminating competition from independent developers, these groups say the $430M program puts investment risk on ratepayers.