Economic contribution of proposed renewable energy projects in Minnesota

Key findings for communities

Construction phase

• NextEra, along with its local partners, plans to invest more than $1.1 billion in wind energy projects during the next three years.
• An estimated $321.1 million will be direct purchases from Minnesota companies, which will generate an estimated $550.9 million of economic activity in Minnesota, including $218.6 million in labor income.
• The projects will support 3,270 total jobs across all industry sectors, including jobs at the construction site and the multiplier effects.
  • The model estimates 1,840 workers will be employed to complete the construction work.
• The proposed projects will generate an estimated $21.7 million in state and local tax collections during the construction phase.

Operations and Maintenance (O&M)

• Annually, NextEra and its partners will spend $27.6 million to operate and maintain the wind projects.
• The companies anticipate employing 35 workers and paying nearly $3.0 million in labor income (direct effect).
• The wind projects will generate an estimated $44.0 million in overall annual economic activity.
• These impacts will be annual as long as the projects operate at anticipated levels, totaling $1.3 billion (unadjusted for inflation) throughout the anticipated 30-year operational life of the projects.
• The proposed wind energy projects will generate $7.7 million in tax collections annually.