Minnesota Power breaks ground on project to transform 70-year-old energy center into solar energy facility

Minnesota Power broke ground on their project to convert the Boswell Energy Center into an 85-megawatt solar energy facility on Friday, July 24.

The Boswell Energy Center was first built in Cohasset 70 years ago.

“This site has origins in our history long before mining took off post-World War II. We’ve been here since 1956,” said Vice President of Allete Josh Skelton. “In the boom of mining and natural resource industries, Boswell was built out of the hay fields of Cohasset. This is another chapter in that long history of how it’s been serving customers in that seven decades plus of service.”

Minnesota Power says this is a part of their Energy Forward strategy which aims to create more renewable energy while using existing infrastructure. They also say it’s a step towards their goal to jump from delivering 60% renewable energy, to 80% by 2030.

“This site has been a big part of our community. This investment today is demonstrating how we take new technology, new generation resources, put them online to serve customers, utilizing infrastructure, our teams, our talent, to make sure that we deliver for our customers into the future on a new energy resource,” said Skelton.

The development plan includes a preference towards the local workforce and says they will offer apprenticeship opportunities to train the next generation.

Minnesota Power says they expect Boswell solar to be online mid-2027.