XCel Energy Applies for New Solar Energy Project in Dunn County

XCel Energy has filed an application with the Public Service Commission to acquire a solar and energy storage facility in Dunn County.

The utility company is seeking to acquire and improve the Elk Creek Solar and Energy Storage Project in the Town of Spring Brook. If their application is approved, the project will combine a 300 megawatt solar energy generating system with a nearly 80 megawatt battery storage system. According to a Menomonie Minute report, the solar project is currently owned by Tyr Energy Development Renewables, and it would be the first utility-scale solar project owned by XCel Energy in the state.

Officials say the project would be able to generate around $1.6 million each year and create hundreds of jobs through the construction process. Work on the project could begin in late 2026 if the application is approved. Construction could be completed by late 2028.

According to the Elk Creek Solar Project website, the project will have an estimated long term investment of nearly $300 million in Dunn County and provide over $30 million in revenue over 35 years. The website also assures residents that the project will have a minimal impact on the local environment and wildlife.

The environmental impact of solar fields has been a major question for Wisconsin residents. Recently, some pushed back on another XCel Energy solar project in St. Croix County with similar concerns. That project would see a 5,000 acre solar field built to replace the energy production from a coal-fueled power plant near Stillwater scheduled to close in 2028.

The Dunn County Energy Co-op also opened significantly smaller solar fields in Boyceville and Colfax earlier this year. That project occupies only about 10 acres of land and can produce enough energy to power 600 to 800 homes.