News
| 3/17/2010 |
Chisago County Approves Development and Host
Fee Agreements
Chisago County, Minnesota – The Chisago County Board of Commissioners voted 4-1 to approve a Development Agreement and a Host Fee Agreement with Sunrise River Energy, LLC at its March 17, 2010 meeting. The approved agreements include many recent enhancements incorporated after review by a County appointed Power Plant Task Force and substantial public review and comment. Recent changes include additional annual payments to Lent Township and to the County for both local neighborhood enhancement and support of libraries, one-time payments for police and fire communications systems, relocation of the site access to CSAH 14, addition of a site restoration plan, commitments to repair any damage to county roads, and a provision providing funds to construct an alternate outlet for Kable Avenue. The agreements will include 100% payment of applicable real property taxes in addition to annual payments in lieu of personal property taxes and annual payments for various purposes to Chisago County, North Branch Schools and Lent Township. In total, the plant will pay approximately $2.7 million annually in revenues and local contributions plus approximately $525,000 of up front payments.
The Development and Host Fee Agreements detail additional plant information regarding plant operations, water use and discharge, landscaping and vegetative buffering, noise and vibration mitigation, and building heights and setbacks. Before the plant is built, Sunrise River Energy must receive a site permit and a certificate of need from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC). Sunrise River Energy must also receive permits and approvals from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and other state and Federal agencies. There will be numerous opportunities for public comment and participation in the permitting and environmental review processes conducted by the PUC and other agencies.
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1/14/2010 |
North Branch School Board Approves Host Fee Agreement
North Branch, Minnesota – The North Branch Independent School
District No. 138 Board voted unanimously to approve a Host Fee
Agreement with Sunrise River Energy, LLC at its January 14, 2010
meeting. The agreement will include 100% payment of applicable real
property taxes in addition to annual payments in lieu of personal
property taxes of $600,000 to be allocated among North Branch
Schools, Chisago County and Lent Township and an annual contribution
of $100,000 to a School Partners Fund. In total, the plant will pay
approximately $2.4 million annually in revenues and local
contributions.
Before the plant is built, Sunrise River Energy must receive a site
permit and a certificate of need from the Minnesota Public Utilities
Commission (PUC). Sunrise River Energy must also receive permits and
approvals from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and other
state and Federal agencies. There will be numerous opportunities for
public comment and participation in the permitting and environmental
review processes conducted by the PUC and other agencies.
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12/15/2009 |
Lent
Township Approves Development and Host Fee Agreements
Lent Township,
Minnesota – The Lent Township Board of Supervisors voted
unanimously to approve a Development Agreement and a Host Fee
Agreement with Sunrise River Energy, LLC at its December 15,
2009 meeting. The approved agreements include many recent
enhancements incorporated after an extended period of public
review and comment. Recent changes included additional payments
to both the North Branch School District and Lent Township, a
reduction in the maximum height of structures, limits on back-up
fuel oil operation, and agreement to coordinate project efforts
with a community advisory council. The agreements will include
100% payment of applicable real property taxes in addition to
annual payments in lieu of personal property taxes and annual
payments for various purposes to Chisago County, North Branch
Schools and Lent Township. In total, the plant will pay
approximately $2.4 million annually in revenues and local
contributions.
The Development
and Host Fee Agreements detail additional plant information
regarding plant operations, water use and discharge, landscaping
and vegetative buffering, noise and vibration mitigation, and
building heights and setbacks. Before
the plant is built, Sunrise River Energy must receive a site
permit and a certificate of need from the Minnesota Public
Utilities Commission (PUC). Sunrise River Energy must also
receive permits and approvals from the Minnesota Pollution
Control Agency and other state and Federal agencies. There will
be numerous opportunities for public comment and participation
in the permitting and environmental review processes conducted
by the PUC and other agencies.
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10/21/2009 |
Minnesota
Resource Assessment Study Identifies Need for Natural Gas-Fired
Generation
The Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Office of Energy Security
released the Minnesota Resource Assessment Study on
October 21, 2009, which identifies a significant need for new
natural gas-fired generation to serve energy needs in Minnesota.
The Study analyzed over 50 scenarios with varying assumptions
including changes in load, fuel costs, generator capital costs,
and wind additions. A need for natural gas-fired generation is
identified in every scenario analyzed. The base case scenario
identifies the need for over 1,500 MW of new natural gas-fired
generation by 2015 growing to over 3,500 MW by 2025.
The Study is available at the
Office of Energy Security website.
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| 10/14/2009 |
LS Power Announces Key Design Elements for Sunrise River
Energy Station |
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