Xcel Energy said it plans to retire its last two coal plants in the Upper Midwest a decade earlier than scheduled and extend the life of its nuclear power plant until at least 2040.

The plans are part of the proposed Upper Midwest Energy Plan, which the company said it will submit in July for approval by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.

The company said that if the plan is approved, it would lead to a more than 80% reduction in carbon emissions in the region by 2030, compared to 2005.

The Allen S. King generating station. Source: Xcel EnergyAs part of the plan, Xcel said it would close the Allen S. King coal plant in 2028 and the Sherco 3 plant in 2030. By 2022, the company plans to complete adding 1,850 megawatts (MW) of wind generating capacity. It also plans to add 3,000 MW of solar capacity by 2030.

The utility's Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant on the Mississippi River has a single boiling water reactor from General Electric with a capacity of 671 MW. In 2006, the reactor's operating license was extended until 2030. An extension to 2040 would require state and federal approval.

The 511 MW King generating station entered service in 1968. Between 2004 and 2007, the plant installed air quality control systems, including flue gas scrubbers to control sulfur dioxide emissions, selective catalytic reduction for nitrogen oxide control, activated carbon injection to capture mercury emissions and fabric filters to control particulate matter.

The 876 MW Sherco Unit 3 plant entered service in 1987. It uses a dry scrubber system, which uses a mist of lime slurry in spray dryers, to trap sulfur dioxide.