In a January 8 letter to the Minnesota Public Service Commission, Xcel Energy informed the Commission that it intends to conduct competitive negotiations with wind projects that are able to interconnect at Xcel’s Angus Anson generating station in Sioux Falls.  

The Angus Anson plant is a gas-fired peaking facility that has firm transmission to deliver its output.  Xcel wants to make better use of this transmission by looking at ways to locate wind generating capacity nearby and connect it to the transmission system at Anson.  Over the next several months, Xcel plans to accept proposals and conduct competitive negotiations for wind projects that can interconnect at the Anson site.  Xcel does not believe that transmission upgrades will be needed for the proposed interconnection.