Senator Mark Johnson Comments on Carbon Free Energy Bill
St. Paul, MN — Last week, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed into law new legislation that would move Minnesota to 100 percent clean energy by 2040. The bill establishes a standard for utilities to supply Minnesota customers with electricity generated or procured from carbon-free resources, beginning at an amount equal to 80% of retail sales for public utility customers in Minnesota in 2030 and increasing every 5 years to reach 100% for all electric utilities by 2040. The bill also requires that, by 2035, an amount equal to at least 55% of an electric utility’s total retail electric sales to customers in Minnesota must be generated or procured from eligible energy technologies.
According to Senate Minority Leader Mark Johnson, Republicans are calling it the “blackout bill” because it would eliminate the already reliable sources of energy currently available to electricity customers. He adds that this bill will ultimately lead to increased costs for consumers.
Johnson does agree that there is a definite need for clean and renewable energy, but there needs to be other options in place as well.
Senator Mark Johnson joins the KRJB Kaleidoscope Program on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month to provide updates from the legislative session.