Minnesota judge backs Upper Sioux casino solar project while preserving cooperative service
A Minnesota judge ruled that a solar project at Prairie's Edge Casino Resort can proceed without disconnecting the tribe from the cooperative's power grid.Summary
A Minnesota administrative law judge has recommended that Minnesota Valley Cooperative Light & Power Association continue supplying electricity to the Upper Sioux Community, allowing the tribe to proceed with a 2.5-megawatt solar array and battery storage system at Prairie’s Edge Casino Resort. The judge determined that the project is designed to serve on-site needs rather than export power to the grid, and that neither state law nor cooperative policy permits disconnecting service as a penalty for the installation. However, the judge noted unresolved engineering questions and recommended a new independent study and safety upgrades before the project can fully proceed under the proposed framework. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will ultimately decide whether to adopt the recommendation. The ruling comes amid broader attention on tribal gaming and development projects across the United States.
(Source：Readwrite)