Another long night of debate on the Minnesota state Senate floor leads to the narrow passage of a clean energy bill.
It requires all Minnesota utilities to transition to 100% carbon-free electricity by the year 2040.
The measure would further shift utilities away from fossil fuels to wind and solar, but it also allows them to use hydropower, biomass, hydrogen and existing nuclear plants to go carbon-free.
Utilities that can’t quit coal or gas on their own could ask regulators to let them use “off ramps” to delay compliance, or they could use renewable energy credits to make up the difference.
The vote passed along party lines 34-33 in the Democratic-controlled Senate, with a host of Republican amendments shot down through the hours-long debate at the state capitol.
The Minnesota House of Representatives passed the bill last month by a 70-60 vote, and Governor Walz says he will sign it.
"To the Minnesota communities, especially the low-income communities, and the communities of color, where the impact of climate pollution often hits hardest, we heard you, and we prioritized action on your behalf," said Senate majority
Republicans called the measure the "blackout bill", claiming it will lead to higher costs and less reliable energy, which would undermine the state's power grid and put lives at risk.
"This is an attack on middle-class," said Senate GOP leader Mark Johnson. "This is an attack on families. This is an attack on our communities. This bill, without a doubt, will make your electricity more expensive, and less reliable."
This makes two major pieces of legislation that Minneosta lawmakers have passed in the first month of the session.
The other was the PRO Act that codified the right to reproductive health care.
Minnesota’s biggest utility, Xcel Energy, supported the clean energy billl, saying it fits with its own goals, even though company officials say they’re not exactly sure yet how they’ll get all the way to carbon-free by 2040.
The state’s smaller rural electric cooperatives and municipal power systems say they fear it would be a lot harder for them and that the costs to their customers will be high.
Republican North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and other top officials in his state threatened last week to sue Minnesota if the bill is enacted, saying it would prevent North Dakota utilities from continuing to export power generated from coal and gas to Minnesota.
The Associated Press contributed content to this article.
