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Sen. Nick Frentz says data centers and a nuclear study can help lower Minnesotans’ energy costs
Summary
Sen. Nick Frentz told "Senate Spotlight" that hyperscale data centers can bring jobs, property‑tax revenue and new clean capacity; he defended the 2025 law that requires payments to low‑income energy assistance and described a funded nuclear study while the moratorium remains in place.
ST. PAUL — State Sen. Nick Frentz said Minnesota’s recent energy legislation and private data‑center investment can help reduce electricity costs for ratepayers while creating local jobs.
"When we build wind and solar, that takes electricians, building trades. We want those jobs," Frentz said, citing more than 60,000 clean‑energy jobs in Minnesota. He described hyperscale data centers as large projects ("a million square feet, maybe a cost of billions") that can produce construction and trades employment and boost local property‑tax revenue — for example, he said a proposed southern Minnesota data center could add about $20 million a year to a county with an approximately $48 million budget.
Frentz pointed to provisions in recent legislation that he authored, saying the 2025 law requires some data‑center companies to pay into low‑income energy assistance. He also cited a Pine Island data center announcement that he said will be air‑cooled and will procure "1,600‑megawatts of clean energy" (wind, solar and battery) at the company’s expense, a development he framed as a net benefit for Xcel ratepayers.
The senator acknowledged concerns that have been raised about water use and nondisclosure agreements in data‑center deals and urged communities to weigh pros and cons and consult local officials and the Department of Natural Resources when water is a concern.
On nuclear power, Frentz said Minnesota’s 1990s moratorium remains in effect but described a Senate‑funded nuclear study meant to reassess current nuclear options, including advanced and small modular reactors. He said the Prairie Island Indian Community — central to earlier disposal agreements — has moved to a neutral stance on studying nuclear, and the study has bipartisan support in the Senate.
Frentz also discussed electricity demand growth and conservation measures such as demand response and small customer‑side options. He said filings related to a particular project project a $1.1 billion savings to ratepayers over ten years after the facility opens, a figure he used to illustrate how different supply mixes can reduce costs.
The interview closed with Frentz describing the energy omnibus as consistent with Minnesota’s 100%‑by‑2040 framework and technology‑neutral approach, and with a focus on conservation and more accessible small deployments of solar.
What’s next: Frentz said utilities remain obligated under the state’s clean‑energy framework, and the nuclear study and continued permitting reforms are steps to inform future policy.
