Prairie Island Nuclear Plant Additional Spent Fuel Storage
Project Details
Xcel Energy is proposing additional dry cask storage of spent nuclear fuel at the Prairie Island nuclear plant. The additional storage would allow continued operation of the plant until 2054.
Project Contact
Project Summary
Xcel Energy is proposing to additional dry cask storage of spent nuclear fuel at the Prairie Island independent spent fuel storage installation (ISFSI). The additional storage would allow continued operation of the Prairie Island nuclear plant until 2054.
The project requires a certificate of need (CN) from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission). The project also requires preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) by the Minnesota Department of Commerce (Department). The Department will hold public meetings to solicit comments on the scope of the EIS and on the draft EIS, when issued.
Key Project Documents
| Date | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| February 6, 2025 | Final Environmental Impact Statement | The Public Utilities Commission released the final Environmental Impact Statement for the project on February 7, 2025, for review and comment. The comment period ends on April 10, 2025. |
| October 31, 2024 | Draft Environmental Impact Statement | The Department of Commerce released the draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project on October 31, 2024, for review and comment. The comment period ends on December 6, 2024. |
| July 12, 2024 | Final Scoping Decision | A final scoping decision for the environmental impact statement to be prepared for the project was issued on July 12, 2024. |
| March 8, 2024 | Certificate of Need Application | The associated files were provided by Xcel Energy on their Certificate of Need Application submitted February 7, 2024. |
Environmental Review and Permitting Process
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will determine Xcel Energy's certificate of need application completeness, facilitate public meetings to gather input, and prepare an Environmental Impact Statement. Construction cannot begin until environmental review is complete and a certificate of need is granted by the Commission.