Sep. 12—BELTRAMI COUNTY — The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) recently approved Otter Tail Power Company’s Solway Solar Project, a 66-megawatt solar farm that will add new renewable generation while supporting the reliability of Minnesota’s electric grid.
The project will be built in Lammers Township and includes a new substation, and a 500-foot overhead 115-kilovolt transmission line will connect the facility to the grid using existing interconnection rights at the Solway Combustion Turbine Generating Station.
Otter Tail Power plans to complete construction in time for the project to be in service by the end of 2026, a release noted.
“Reliable, abundant electricity is the foundation of our state’s economic future,” PUC Commissioner Audrey Partridge said in the release. “By adding solar capacity at an existing interconnection point, the Solway project strengthens Minnesota’s grid while helping us transition to cleaner, lower-cost energy sources. We appreciate the public’s input in shaping this project to ensure it works well for both residents and the surrounding community.”
In approving the project, the PUC emphasized both “community engagement and environmental protections,” the release said.
Conditions included in the order require Otter Tail to conduct noise monitoring, implement dust control measures, and comply with Minnesota Department of Natural Resources requirements related to state-listed threatened and endangered species.
Additional project details are on the
PUC’s website.