Minnesota Coal Plant Becomes Largest Solar Farm in State

The smokestacks of yesterday are making way for the solar panels of tomorrow at Minnesota's Sherco power plant, and the results are stunning.

Xcel Energy just completed the third phase of Sherco Solar in Clear Lake, Minnesota, transforming a retiring coal plant into the state's largest solar facility. The site now generates 710 megawatts of clean electricity through 1.7 million solar panels, enough to power more than 150,000 homes.

This isn't just about swapping one energy source for another. It's about reimagining what's possible when communities embrace change instead of fearing it.

The project has created 300 union construction jobs and pumped $90 million into the local economy. A proposed fourth phase would push total capacity to 910 megawatts by 2029, powering nearly 190,000 homes.

For Luke Molus, senior operations manager at the site, the transformation hits close to home. "As someone who grew up in this community and works at this site, it's exciting to see the next chapter of Sherco taking shape," he said. "For decades, the Sherco plant has helped power our region, and today Sherco Solar is continuing that legacy."

The project represents one of the largest solar installations in the entire Upper Midwest. It proves that energy communities don't have to choose between their heritage and their future.

The Ripple Effect

The Sherco transformation is writing a playbook for coal communities across America. Instead of abandoning existing infrastructure and the skilled workers who know it best, Xcel Energy is building on decades of local expertise.

The site already has the electrical grid connections, the workforce knowledge, and the community support that new locations would take years to develop. By converting rather than starting from scratch, the company is keeping Becker's identity as an energy hub alive while moving toward cleaner power.

Other utilities are watching closely. If a coal plant in Minnesota can become a renewable energy leader without leaving its community behind, it can happen anywhere.

The math works too. Xcel Energy says the transition helps keep customer bills low while expanding renewable energy and maintaining reliable power. That's the trifecta every energy provider is chasing.

The people of Becker aren't mourning the past because they're too busy building the future.