Prairie Island
Prairie Island is a nuclear plant in Goodhue County, Minnesota, operated by Northern States Power Co - Minnesota. It ranks second by nameplate capacity among Minnesota’s 792 power plants. The operator has reported planned retirement dates for 1,186 MW of it, between 2033 and 2034.
Nameplate capacity, 2025
1,186 MW
1,040 MW net summer capacity
2 operable units
- Nuclear1,186 MW100%
Unit by unit, 1974 to 2025
operating in 2025reported planned retirementbar height follows unit size
Unit 1 Nuclear, 593 MW, 1974
Unit 2 Nuclear, 593 MW, 1974
Among Minnesota’s plants
Largest plants in the state by nameplate capacity, with the plants ranked next to this one.
- 1Sherburne County1,704 MW
- 2Prairie Islandthis plant
- 3Clay Boswell923 MW
- 4Mankato Energy Center741 MW
Other rankings
- All US power plants
- 231st of 14,286
- US nuclear plants
- 44th of 56
- Nuclear plants in Minnesota
- 1st of 2
- Plants in the MISO (Midcontinent) balancing area
- 34th of 2,383
- Plants run by Northern States Power Co - Minnesota
- 2nd of 51
- Biggest single unit, among Minnesota’s plants
- 4th of 792
Operable units
| Unit | Technology | Nameplate | Summer | Online | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nuclear | 593 MW | 521 MW | 1974 | Operating, retirement planned for 2033 |
| 2 | Nuclear | 593 MW | 519 MW | 1974 | Operating, retirement planned for 2034 |
Grid and site
- Balancing area
- MISO (Midcontinent)
- Reliability region
- Midwest Reliability Organization
- Highest grid connection voltage
- 345 kV
- Water source
- Mississippi River
- Nearest town on record
- Welch
- Operator type
- Utility
- Coordinates
- 44.622°N, 92.633°W
Closest plants
| Plant | Runs on | Capacity | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tinta Wita 5 MW Solar PV System | Solar | 4.5 MW | 0.8 mi northwest |
| Trimbelle (Pierce Pepin) | Solar | 2 MW | 2.8 mi east |
| Foreman’s Hill Community Solar | Solar | 5 MW | 4.8 mi south |
| Lady Slipper Solar Array CSG | Solar | 4.5 MW | 4.9 mi south |
| Red Wing | Biomass and waste | 23 MW | 6.8 mi southeast |
| Huneke I CSG | Solar | 1 MW | 7.5 mi north |
| Red Wing Community Solar | Solar | 4.9 MW | 8.3 mi southeast |
| Novel Stumpf 1 Solar CSG | Solar | 1 MW | 9.4 mi southeast |