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The U.S. Department of Energy released a final joint federal-state environmental impact statement Nov. 16 endorsing Excelsior Energy Inc.'s proposed Mesaba Energy Project integrated gasification combined-cycle plant.
As proposed, Mesaba would be a twin-unit, 1,200-MW plant; the first phase would be the 600-MW unit 1. The project would help the DOE meet the mandate passed in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, the agency said: "to demonstrate technology advancements related to coal-based power generation." DOE is involved because it plans to provide $36 million toward preliminary work on the $2.16 billion demonstration project. A state impact statement is required as part of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission's permitting process.
The state requires applicants to submit two site options. Excelsior's preferred site for the Mesaba plant is 1,727 acres in Taconite, Minn., called the West Range...