We address these issues in turn. Ratepayers desire the lowest possible price for electricity.
Customers now pay a slight premium for using wind power.
The wind industry anticipates that by the end of the decade or before, wind energy will be competitive with most if not all forms of conventional power. Wind developers want to accelerate wind-electric development and Minnesota officials want to ensure that that development occurs within the state. Outside of NSP's territory, wind developers still will compete with conventional power producers. In addition, the wind mandate may not require that all 425 MW be generated inside Minnesota. Thus among the issues to be addressed are whether a tax imposed on Minnesota wind power plants would discourage wind developers from selling to markets other than NSP or whether a tax imposed on wind energy would encourage developers to establish wind farms in other states and transmit the electricity back to Minnesota.