46th largest plant in Minnesota · 2473rd nationally
North Star Solar Project is a solar power plant in Minnesota with a nameplate capacity of 100 MW. It generates roughly 189.1k MWh per year — enough to power about 18,010 average U.S. homes.
Its capacity factor of 22% reflects intermittent or peaking operation.
| Plant Name | North Star Solar Project |
|---|---|
| Operator | North Star Solar Pv Llc |
| City | North Branch |
| County | Chisago County |
| State | Minnesota |
| ZIP | 55056 |
| Coordinates | 45.47000, -92.91000 |
This plant highlighted in navy-ringed pin; other generators within 25 miles shown as fuel-colored dots.
| ID | Technology | Fuel | Capacity | Status | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NSSP1 | Solar Photovoltaic | Solar | 100 MW | Operating | 2016 |
| NERC Region | MRO |
|---|---|
| Balancing Authority | Midcontinent Independent Transmission System Operator, Inc.. |
Utility-scale solar farms convert sunlight directly into electricity using photovoltaic panels. They produce zero direct emissions and have no fuel cost, but generation is variable — peaking at midday and falling to zero at night. Capacity factors typically run 18–28% in good locations.