Murray County asks PUC to review transmission curtailments as production tax revenues fall
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Summary
The board approved a letter to the Minnesota PUC asking review of regional transmission issues that the county says have contributed to wind‑generation curtailments and revenue losses; the chair also raised a claim that a nearby EDF project continues to be paid despite reduced output.
The Murray County Board of Commissioners on Nov. 18 approved a letter to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) commenting on docket activity and asking the commission to consider transmission inadequacies that county leaders say have caused wind‑generation curtailments and reduced production‑tax revenue.
County staff and commissioners described recurring curtailments in the region and linked them to transmission constraints and problems at the Nobles substation. The board approved sending the drafted comments on identified dockets and authorized Chair Dennis Welgraven to sign the letter on behalf of Murray County. Comment submissions for the dockets named in the draft were due Nov. 19, 2025.
During discussion Welgraven stated that the EDF project is continuing to receive full government payments despite operating at about 60% of intended production; this was presented as a concern by the chair. The transcript records the chair’s statement as a claim to be considered in the county’s comments; the meeting record does not include documentary proof of the payment arrangement and the claim has not been independently verified in the transcript.
The board made no formal regulatory determination; the action was to send the county’s comments to the PUC for consideration in the referenced dockets.