Walz touts clean energy jobs amid uncertain nuclear future
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz and Commerce Commissioner Steve Kelley say they’re confident that Minnesota can achieve the governor’s goal of getting 100 percent of its energy from carbon-free sources by 2050.
But Kelley says that unless there’s a radical change in technology in the coming decades, it’s unlikely that it will be cost-effective to invest in new nuclear plants in Minnesota.
Walz and Kelley made the remarks at a news conference they held Monday to celebrate the growth in clean energy jobs in Minnesota.
The annual report by the industry group Clean Energy Economy Minnesota says more than 61,000 residents now work in clean energy industries, an increase of over 2,700 jobs in 2018. It says Minnesota leads the region in renewable energy job gains, especially in wind and solar.