M L Hibbard — Plant Summary
- EIA Plant ID
- 1897
- Capacity
- 72.8 MW
- Primary Fuel
- Wood
- Technology
- Wood/Wood Waste Biomass
- Status
- Operating
- Location
- St Louis, MN
- Operating Since
- 1949
- Generators
- 2
- Operator
- ALLETE, Inc.
- Parent Company
- ALLETE
- Annual Generation
- 98,265 MWh
- Capacity Factor
- 16.8%
- Balancing Authority
- Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc..
- ISO/RTO
- MISO
- NERC Region
- MRO
M L Hibbard
OperatingWood Waste
Ranked #2 of 3 Wood Waste plants in MN#13 of 108 nationally
72.8 MW Wood Waste operating in St Louis, MN — Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc..
EIAGEMWD
72.8 MW
Nameplate Capacity
2
Generators
units
Wood/Wood Waste Biomass
Technology
1949
Operating Since
Location
Coordinates
46.7359, -92.1526
County
St Louis, MN
Nearby Plants
- Fond Du LacHydro12 MW · 13.4 km
- ThomsonHydro72.6 MW · 16.3 km
- Jean Duluth SolarSolar1.6 MW · 17.1 km
Ownership & Operator
| Field | EIA | GEM | Wikidata |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | ALLETE, Inc. | ALLETE | — |
| Owner(s) | ALLETE, Inc. | ALLETE | — |
| Status | Operating | operating | — |
Ownership Chain
About
The M L Hibbard plant is a 72.8 MW biomass-fueled power plant located in St Louis County, Minnesota. The plant, which began operating in 1949, utilizes wood and wood waste as its primary fuel source. It consists of two generators employing wood/wood waste biomass technology. The plant is owned and operated by ALLETE, Inc., and operates within the Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc. (MISO) balancing authority and the MRO NERC region.
In the latest year of reported generation, the M L Hibbard plant produced 98,265 MWh of electricity, achieving a capacity factor of 16.8%. The plant's installed cost was $1501.22 per kW, according to FERC data. The plant also has a reported PPA price of $40 per MWh. The M L Hibbard plant is ranked as the first of two biomass plants in Minnesota, and 7th out of 97 biomass plants nationally.
Generated from EIA, GEM, and public data sources
Engineering & Generators
Grid Context
NERC Region
MRO
Balancing Authority
Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc..
Grid Voltage
115 kV
Regulatory Status
RE
Entity Type
Investor-Owned Utility
Sector
Commercial CHP
Generation
12.0K MWh
Latest Month
98.3K MWh
Annual Generation
16.8%
Capacity Factor
Dec 2022 – Dec 2025
Financial DataBeta
Source: FERC Form 1, FERC Electric Quarterly ReportsHIGH
$40.0/MWh
PPA Price
ALLETE, Inc.
Contract Seller
Annual Capital & Operating Expenses
Cumulative Installed Cost
Per-Unit Cost Trends
Pricing & Market Data
HIGH confidencePoint of Interconnection
Nearest Substation
M.L. Hibbard S.E. Station · 115 kV
Substation Distance
< 10 km
Coord Source
OSM spatial
Market Position
ISO/RTO Market
MISO
LMP Node
MP.HIBBAR4
Pricing Hub
MINN.HUB
Location Type
Generation Node
Node Source
EIA-860 direct report
News & Articles (8)Beta
Regulatory·state puc
What’s carbon-free? Utility regulators to decide what qualifies under state’s clean energy law
The landmark law that Minnesota lawmakers passed last year requiring utilities to produce 100 percent of their electricity from carbon-free sources by 2040 did...
Minnesota (regulator)
MPR News·1 years ago
Regulatory·state puc
Burning biomass, trash could be 'carbon-free' in Minnesota, regulators say
Generating electricity by burning biomass and trash, which emit carbon dioxide, could be considered carbon-free under Minnesota law, state regulators...
Minnesota (regulator)
Duluth News Tribune·1 years ago
Regulatory·state puc
Minnesota regulators consider whether biomass should be ‘carbon free’
DULUTH — Minnesota lawmakers last year set an ambitious target: By 2040, the state's electricity must come from 100% carbon-free sources.
Minnesota (regulator)
Duluth News Tribune·1 years ago
Industry·corporate
Biobaler connects land management, biomass supply
Biomass Magazine is a monthly trade publication tailored to serve companies and organizations engaged in producing or utilizing biomass power and heat,...
Biomass Magazine·2 years ago
Last updated 2026-03-14
View all 8 articles