Wisconsin regulators authorized construction of a $700 million natural gas generator in Superior in spite of concerns over the project’s environmental impact.
The Public Service Commission has voted 2-1 to approve a permit for Dairyland Power Cooperative of La Crosse to build the 625-megawatt Nemadji Trail Energy Center, which is to be jointly owned by Duluth-based Minnesota Power.

The utilities have argued the plant is needed to allow them to move away from coal-fired generation and that it will support the addition of intermittent sources like wind and solar.