Praire Island: Dry Cast Storage of Spent Nuclear Fuel

The 1994 Minnesota Legislature allowed Northern States Power Company to store a limited amount of spent nuclear fuel in dry casks at its Prairie Island power plant in Goodhue County, as long as the power company met several obligations. One obligation was to make a good-faith effort to find an alternative storage site in Goodhue County. 

In July 1995, Northern States Power Company proposed two possible locations, both in Florence Township near the town of Frontenac. The Environmental Quality Board accepted this application in August 1995, beginning the site evaluation process. 

The Environmental Quality Board appointed a citizen task force to help review the proposal. The task force held several public meetings between September 1995 and January 1996. 

In January 1996, the task force presented its report. Based on expected environmental and human impact, the report recommended that both sites proposed by NSP be rejected. The task force also looked for other possible sites. It evaluated 16 sites using the same criteria and recommended that none be considered further. 

In October 1996, the Environmental Quality Board denied Nap's application for alternate sites. The Prairie Island Mdewakanton Sioux Community appealed this decision. In May 1997, the State Appeals Court upheld the Environmental Quality Board decision. That decision was appealed to the Minnesota Supreme Court. In July 1997, this second appeal was denied by the Minnesota Supreme Court. 

Under current legislation, Northern States Power Company may continue to store its spent fuel at the Prairie Island power plant. The 1994 legislation allows up to 17 storage casks at the site. Northern States Power Company estimates that it will use up this capacity by 2002.