The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved theconstruction of NextEra EnergyInc.'s 62-MW Marshall solar facility, the Star Tribune in Minneapolis reported March 31.

Despite concerns that the proposed facility will violate state policy by beingdeveloped on prime farmland, Commissioner John Tuma told the Star Tribune that "instead ofpaying some big developer to build a [coal] mine out in Wyoming, we're actuallymining our energy right here."

Based on SNL Energy data, the Marshall plant will be in LyonCounty, Minn. Upon expected completion in December, the facility will sell itsoutput to Xcel EnergyInc. subsidiary Northern States Power Co. - Minnesota.