Planning commission recommends approval for Swift Current Energy meteorological tower near eastern Morrison County

The Morrison County Planning Commission on July 21 voted to recommend that the County Board approve an interim use permit allowing Swift Current Energy to install a 198-foot meteorological (MET) tower on a 159.65-acre parcel for up to four years.

Amy (Land Services staff) summarized the request as “an interim use permit to construct a meteorological tower” and said the county’s moratorium on renewable energy systems exempts MET towers. Amy recommended a termination condition requiring removal four years from the permit issuance date. Joey Shannon, a Swift Current Energy representative, told the commission the company would use the tower to collect wind speed, direction, temperature and pressure data and that towers arrive sectionalized and are assembled on site. Shannon said the company has named the potential wind project “Northwoods Wind.”

Commissioners pressed staff and the applicant on technical details. The applicant said the tower would be 198 feet tall, supported by guy wires, powered by an on‑tower solar cell and battery and would transmit telemetry remotely via a cellular (5G) link. Amy told the panel the towers are designed to be under the Federal Aviation Administration 200-foot automatic-review threshold and that the Minnesota Department of Transportation requires a red obstruction light and a 30-day notice before construction. The applicant said the site would be accessed via an existing field road and that the 300-foot guy-wire radius would cover about 1.62 acres.

The commission closed the public hearing, found the five required zoning criteria were met and moved, seconded and unanimously recommended approval to the County Board with the single condition that the interim use permit terminate four years from the date of issuance. The recommendation will be considered by the Morrison County Commissioners at their July 28 meeting.