MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (September 24, 2018) – Operators at the Prairie Island Nuclear Plant began working on projects that will help the plant continue its role in providing carbon-free energy for over 1 million customers in the Upper Midwest. The facility plays a role in Xcel Energy’s plan to provide 85 percent carbon-free energy to the region by 2030.

The major projects, refueling and plant maintenance, requires nearly 1,000 skilled workers and specialized contractors to come to Red Wing, for about a month of work. 

“We believe we can deliver 85 percent of our electricity from carbon free sources, and our nuclear plants are one of the most important strategies we have to meet this industry-leading goal,” said Chris Clark, president, Xcel Energy, Minnesota. “This is reliable, clean power, which provides great value to our customers and represents a major investment in the local area Upper Midwest.”

Boost to local economy

More than 1,000 specialized skilled employees and contractors work at the plant during refueling outages, providing a needed boost to the area’s economy. Restaurants, hotels and service providers are often booked with traveling workers, many of whom return to the area each year.

The Prairie Island plant is responsible for more than $550 million in economic activity each year. 

Nuclear plants generally run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and only shut down to refuel the reactor. During this period, operators perform maintenance and construction projects that can only be completed when the plant is not operating. 

“Our team spends years planning for these outage periods to ensure we execute projects safely and effectively,” said Scott Sharp, Prairie Island Site Vice President. “This work helps us deliver value to our customers and community by improving our plant and setting us up for the next two years and beyond.” 


Some major projects that will be completed this month include:

  • Main generator replacement. The generator, which converts energy into electricity, weighs over 500 tons and was built in Japan. It replaces the original generator installed when the plant was built in the 1970’s.
  • Fuel replacement. About one third of the fuel in the reactor core will be replaced.
  • Pump and motor replacement. Several large motors and pumps will be replaced, key to continuing to provide carbon free energy and maintain safe plant operations.
  • Inspections and maintenance. Thousands of hours of routine inspection and maintenance of plant equipment will be conducted by experts in a matter of just a few weeks.

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About Xcel Energy

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) provides the energy that powers millions of homes and businesses across eight Western and Midwestern states. Headquartered in Minneapolis, the company is an industry leader in responsibly reducing carbon emissions and producing and delivering clean energy solutions from a variety of renewable sources at competitive prices. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow us on Twitter and Facebook.