Workers at Xcel Energy’s Monticello nuclear plant began a refueling and maintenance effort on April 18, allowing the facility to continue providing reliable, carbon-free energy for customers throughout the Upper Midwest and remain an economic engine for the region.

During the planned work, the plant will be taken offline and nearly 1,000 specialists will join the plant’s full-time workforce. This provides a significant boost to the economies of Wright County and the surrounding region. The work helps set up the plant for a future extension of its operations, which will play an important part in achieving Minnesota’s clean energy goals.

“Nuclear energy is an important clean energy resource that will help achieve Minnesota’s goal to power communities with reliable, 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040,” said Ryan Long, president, Xcel Energy – Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. “Ensuring our nuclear plants operate responsibly allows us to continue delivering reliable, carbon-free energy to our Upper Midwest customers well into the future.”

Together, the Monticello plant and Xcel Energy’s Prairie Island nuclear plant provide 23% of the total electricity that the company’s customers use in the Upper Midwest.

Extension of Operations

Plant maintenance makes it possible to extend Monticello’s operating life and renew Xcel Energy’s investment and commitment to the surrounding region. Earlier this year, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approved a 20-year license extension for the Monticello plant, allowing the plant to continue operations through 2050. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission also approved extended operations through 2050, matching the federal extension.

“Refueling and maintenance activities allow us to continue delivering the carbon-free, 24/7 dispatchable energy that our nuclear plants provide our customers,” said Chris Church, senior vice president, Chief Nuclear Officer. “This work requires extensive planning and is critical to maintaining safe, reliable operations at our Monticello plant.”

The company has a long track record of operating its nuclear plants safely. Last year during its annual public meeting, the NRC reported that the Monticello plant operated safely and within the highest performance category.

In recent years, Xcel Energy’s nuclear team has taken steps to save money for customers. The company has implemented an innovative process for temporarily reducing nuclear generation overnight on certain days when low-cost wind resources are abundant. The nuclear team has also reduced production costs at its nuclear plants by 25% over the past decade.

Supporting Communities

Xcel Energy’s nuclear plants are economic drivers for the communities they operate in. The skilled workers and contractors who work at the plant during refueling outages provide a boost to the area’s economy. Restaurants, hotels and service providers are often booked with traveling workers, many of whom return to the area for each refueling.

The nuclear industry supports good-paying, stable jobs with salaries that can be 30% higher than the local average, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The Monticello plant has been responsible for more than an estimated $550 million in economic activity each year in the region, according to the Nuclear Energy Institute. The facility is one of Monticello’s biggest employers and local taxpayers.

A recent analysis performed by the University of Colorado concluded that extending the operating license of the company’s nuclear power plants by 20 years yields a net economic benefit to Minnesota and the surrounding communities. It estimates on average an additional 896 jobs and an increase in gross domestic product of $335 million a year.

Nuclear energy is extremely reliable. Xcel Energy’s plants typically run year-round, and regularly operate uninterrupted through a polar vortex or a heat wave, only shutting down to refuel the reactor. During the refueling, about one-third of the fuel in the reactor core will be replaced. Meanwhile, skilled technicians will do tens of thousands of hours of inspection and maintenance that ensure the safe and efficient operation of the plant.