Nearly 25 percent of the state's electricity is generated by nuclear reactors -- second only to coal. Minnesota has two nuclear power plants owned and operated by Xcel Energy:
MONTICELLO
Began operations: 1971
Type: General Electric BWR-3, boiling water reactor
Reactors: 1
License Expiration: Extended from 2010 to 2030
Cooling system: Water drawn from Mississippi River
Location: 40 miles northwest of Twin Cities
PRAIRIE ISLAND
Began operations: Unit 1 in 1973, Unit 2 in 1974
