Superior Mayor Says NTEC Is Scrapped; Minnesota Power Says No

SUPERIOR, Wis. — Superior Mayor Jim Paine believes the proposed Nemadji Trail Energy Center, or NTEC, is officially not going to be built along the Nemadji River.

But Minnesota Power says that is not the case.

Paine’s conclusion comes after Minnesota Power and its NTEC partner, Dairyland Power, recently withdrew their air permit to build the natural gas-powered plant near the Enbridge Terminal and Husky refinery on Superior’s east end of town.

“So with them admitting that they cannot make this deadline, that’s multiple other deadlines they can’t make either starting over with a new air permit after the new EPA rule, which is much more stringent, and they cannot meet the new EPA standards. So this project functionally cannot happen at this site,” Paine said.

Mayor Paine has been a very vocal opponent of NTEC the past couple of years. He has said the plant is unnecessary, harmful to the environment and sites to close to cemeteries and an Indigenous burial site.

As for Minnesota Power, a spokesperson told FOX 21 there are no plans to back away from building NTEC at its currently planned site in Superior.

“This is strictly a timing issue. The window of time to construct and commission the facility allowed in the air permit is no longer achievable. Therefore, NTEC has requested the WDNR revoke the project’s air permit; the project partners will determine when to re-apply based on project planning and permitting,” according to a statement from Minnesota Power.

To date, NTEC has been approved through 15 different regulatory reviews from state and federal agencies.

Minnesota Power has said NTEC would be a reliable power source when the wind isn’t blowing for windmills and the sun isn’t shining for solar power.