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Committee hears that Minnesota’s community solar growth is large and faces interconnection and queue backlogs
Summary
Nonpartisan staff told the committee Minnesota has roughly 1,600 MW of utility-scale solar, about 900 MW of which is community solar; members heard the 2023 session imposed a cap on annual additions and that a substantial interconnection queue — including 56 GW in MISO’s queue — is straining grid and distribution capabilities.
Nonpartisan committee staff described recent changes to Minnesota’s community solar program and the constraints affecting developers and utilities.
Bob Eliff, a longtime committee staffer, said Minnesota had been a national leader in community solar. "I believe at this point we have maybe 1600 megawatts of solar and I think about over 900 megawatts is community solar," Eliff said, and he said the 2023 legislative session added a cap on annual additions to community solar projects and created incentives aimed at increasing participation by low‑ and middle‑income customers.
Representative Dave Baker asked whether the program remained on a fast growth trajectory and if it remained high priced for utilities that must purchase community solar. Eliff said there had been many changes after concerns over rapid growth and program cost; he said both the Public Utilities Commission and the legislature had responded to those concerns.
Members also discussed interconnection backlogs. Eliff said there is a large queue of projects waiting to interconnect, and he cited a Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) figure that about 56 gigawatts of projects are in the queue across MISO’s footprint. "That's a lot of backed up demand," he said, and he explained that the queue creates delays even for projects that have signed interconnection agreements because distribution and transmission upgrades are required.
Eliff and members said only Xcel Energy is required to offer community solar; other utilities may participate voluntarily. Members asked whether maps or inventories exist for site locations; staff said some resources likely exist and that staff would look for them. Eliff said the committee will circulate a publication summarizing recent changes at the Public Utilities Commission and from the 2023 legislative session.
Committee members indicated they expect further briefings from utilities and the PUC as the session proceeds; staff offered to distribute a written summary and additional materials to members.
