For much of our history, Minnesota has been dependent on other states and countries for most of our energy needs. Today – with the promise of new energy technologies – Minnesota has the opportunity to be a leader in creating a new energy future. My energy policy will be guided by the following principles:

-Fairness: Minnesota needs an energy policy that is balanced between rural and metro interests and between business and residential consumers. It’s also critical that Minnesota leaders work with federal policy makers to make sure that national policies don’t create advantages for other parts of the country at our expense.

-Safe and Reliable:  As we create new sources of energy, we need to make sure that we can deliver the energy safely and dependably to where it is needed.  This means we will need a long-range plan to strategically invest in an electric transmission grid that will meet our future needs.  I also want all options on the table. We can’t get to the best choices if we don’t at least evaluate all our options.  Currently, Minnesota has a moratorium on nuclear energy. Certainly, there are several huge, unresolved issues involving nuclear energy, especially the storage and disposal of waste. But when environmentalists like Stewart Brand, founder of “The Whole Earth Catalog,” are urging a renewed discussion of nuclear energy, we can’t close the door to any source of energy that could reduce our carbon footprint and make us energy independent.  Closing the debate closes our options.

-Transparency: Government’s priority should be to create incentives for energy providers to deliver reliable, affordable and environmentally safe energy. Mandates, subsidies and new energy development all have a cost – these costs should be transparent and explicitly included in our evaluation of options.

-Economic growth: Minnesota’s energy costs can be a competitive advantage in attracting and growing jobs, especially compared to the coasts.  I will not lose this edge, but rather I will capitalize on it to revitalize our economy.

-New thinking: Our best solutions are conservation, efficiency and environmentally friendly energy sources. Doing more with less as well as with less impact not only are smart energy policies, they are smart economic policies. Unleashing the best minds in Minnesota through research and smart investment policies can create new jobs and cleaner energy.