MINNEPOLIS (WJON News) -- A long-standing Minnesota nuclear power plant will continue to provide energy for over 20 more years. Xcel Energy has announced that the Prairie Island Nuclear Plant received approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to extend operations through the early 2050s. Xcel Energy says, following the commission's approval for increased storage of spent fuel at Prairie Island, the company will request a 20-year extension of the plant's operating license from the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2026.

KROC-AM logo
Get our free mobile app

The review process typically takes up to two years.  The extension for Prairie Island follows the extension process recently granted to the Monticello Plant by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. Prairie Island has two units that produce 1,100 watts of electricity, powering over 1 million homes across the Upper Midwest.


READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT:


LOOK: 50 Famous brands that no longer exist

Stacker compiled a list of more than four dozen famous consumer brands that no longer exist, consulting sites such as TheStreet, Good Housekeeping, and Eat This, Not That!, along with numerous throwback sites dedicated to consumer brands.

Gallery Credit: Liz Barrett Foster

Answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

Vaccinations for COVID-19 began being administered in the U.S. on Dec. 14, 2020. The quick rollout came a little more than a year after the virus was first identified in November 2019. The impressive speed with which vaccines were developed has also left a lot of people with a lot of questions. The questions range from the practical—how will I get vaccinated?—to the scientific—how do these vaccines even work?

Keep reading to discover answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions.

Gallery Credit: Stephanie Parker

RANKED: Here Are the 63 Smartest Dog Breeds

Does your loyal pup's breed make the list? Read on to see if you'll be bragging to the neighbors about your dog's intellectual prowess the next time you take your fur baby out for a walk. Don't worry: Even if your dog's breed doesn't land on the list, that doesn't mean he's not a good boy--some traits simply can't be measured.

Gallery Credit: Sabienna Bowman

More From KROC-AM