Nemadji Trail energy center

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Nemadji Trail energy center is a power station in pre-construction in Superior, Wisconsin, United States. It is also known as NTEC.

Location

Table 1: Project-level location details

Plant name	Location	Coordinates (WGS 84)
Nemadji Trail energy center	Superior, Wisconsin, United States	46.64469, -92.018286 (approximate)

The map below shows the approximate location of the power station.

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Project Details

Table 2: Unit-level details

Unit name	Status	Fuel(s)	Capacity (MW)	Technology	CHP	Start year
1	Pre-construction	fossil gas: natural gas	625	combined cycle	not found	2027 (planned)

CHP is an abbreviation for Combined Heat and Power. It is a technology that produces electricity and thermal energy at high efficiencies. Coal units track this information in the Captive Use section when known.

Table 3: Unit-level ownership and operator details

Unit name	Operator	Owner	Parent
1	Minnesota Power	Dairyland Power Cooperative [50%]; Minnesota Power [30%]; South Shore Energy LLC [20%]	Touchstone Energy Cooperative Inc [50.0%]; ALLETE Inc [30.0%]

Background

According to a quarterly progress report submitted to the Public Service Commission (PSC) in January 2023, construction has not yet begun but NTEC is planned to begin commercial operation in March 2027. Several utility companies have a stake in NTEC, including La Crosse-based Dairyland Power and Duluth-based Minnesota Power, which will build and operate the plant, and the North Dakota Basin Electric Power Cooperative. In April 2024, the city council failed to set the public hearings that are required to make land use changes for the proposed Nemadji Trail Energy Center, effectively denying them. Superior Mayor Jim Paine, who previously supported the project, said he had changed his position.

In September 18, 2024, NTEC cleared its 15th regulatory review to receive Federal Consistency Certification from the Wisconsin Department of Administration. This certification could make it possible for the plant to receive wetland permits. However, shortly after the 15th regulatory review was cleared, in October 2024, NTEC owners were moved "to withdraw requests for an air permit for the facility" because of the "extended timeline of the federal permit process." This development would require the plant to go through a new permitting and review process, possibly forcing companies with a stake in the project to evaluate it, according to an article published online by the Wisconsin Examiner. Despite the clear setback, "company officials say there is no plan to scrap the project," and "project partners will determine next steps based on project planning and permitting."

Environmental concerns

Utilities have said the plant would cut carbon emissions by nearly 1 million tons. A final environmental review said the project would reduce emissions by about 800,000 tons each year by replacing coal plants elsewhere. However, a supplemental analysis released in 2022 by the Rural Utilities Service found that the plant would release 2.7 million tons of carbon emissions on a yearly basis. By August that year, the Environmental Protection Agency found that the analysis “did not fully quantify or adequately disclose” the effects of greenhouse gas emissions, and called on regulators to analyze upstream, construction-related, and indirect emissions that  may come from the project.

The proposed site is roughly 300 feet from a shoreline bend of the Nemadji River. Unique habitats including wetlands and floodplain forests populate the river’s length. Draining from Lake Superior, the river supports numerous species of plants, animals, and fungi, some of which are considered rare. Due to degraded habitats, the Nemadji River has been listed as impaired. Restoration efforts, supported by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and city of Superior have focused on shoreline dunes, nesting habitats, waterways, and wild rice. Canoeing, as well as public fishing and camping, are popular activities on the land where NTEC would be built. The area is also a repository of tribal history. If completed, NTEC would operate approximately 500 feet from a burial site containing the remains of dozens of Lake Superior Objibwe people.

In October 2024, after NTEC owners withdrew their requests for an air permit, Sierra Club Wisconsin Chapter director Elizabeth Ward stated that "the bottom line is that NTEC is already outdated even before it was built," highlighting that the decision to withdraw the air permit was the right step forward to protect the area. The project has faced strong criticism and opposition from diverse groups, who point to a "diverse array of problems with the proposed facility."

Articles and Resources

Additional data

To access additional data, including an interactive map of gas-fired power stations, a downloadable dataset, and summary data, please visit the Global Oil and Gas Plant Tracker on the Global Energy Monitor website.