Minnesota Power idling units, citing rail delays

摘要

Delays and congestion on western railroad BNSF have forced Minnesota Power to idle four coal-fired generating units for the next three months. BNSF's shipments to the plant have slowed "dramatically" in the last few months, the utility that covers rural northeastern Minnesota told Argus. The railroad's Powder River basin coal cycle times have more than doubled, Minnesota Power said. The utility's stockpiles are less than 50pc of normal, although they have not yet hit "critical" levels, the company said.