The Detroit Lions got off to a terrible start in the Week 7 matchup with the Vikings in Minnesota.
The Lions offense was rough on the first three drives, failing to pick up a single first down. Meanwhile, an easily-stopped fake punt on Detroit’s opening series set up Minnesota for an easy rushing touchdown. Minnesota tacked on a 57-yard field goal to quickly seize a 10-0 lead.
To add injury to insult, running back David Montgomery limped off the field with considerable assistance after being tackled on a 3rd-and-short, where he was snuffed under the pile. The team quickly ruled Montgomery’s return as questionable with a knee injury.
UPDATE: Montgomery returned to the game after sitting out a series.
NEXT Weather: 10 p.m. forecast for Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024 – CBS Minnesota
We saw our first snow fall today, though our total is still below average for the month of November. We stay in the low 30s as we head into the overnight hours and hit the upper 30s by Thursday afternoon. There is another chance for snow in our future. WCCO chief meteorologist Chris Shaffer breaks everything down.
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Xcel Energy has started delivering clean energy from one of the US’s largest solar farms: Sherco Solar in Minnesota. It’s a major step in the utility’s push to ditch coal and move to renewable energy across the Upper Midwest.
Sherco Solar, which recently began generating power, will eventually have a massive capacity of 710 megawatts (MW). The first part of the project is already pumping 220 MW of affordable solar electricity into the grid, with the next two phases expected to go online in 2025 and 2026.
The solar farm is being built on the site of the Sherburne County Generating Station (Sherco), Minnesota’s largest coal-fired power plant. Xcel Energy plans to retire all three of Sherco’s coal units by 2030, with the first one already offline. Once fully operational, Sherco Solar will generate enough electricity to power around 150,000 homes, replacing a significant chunk of the coal power that’s being phased out.
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What’s notable about Sherco Solar is not just its size but also its cost efficiency. It’ll be the cheapest solar power on Xcel’s Upper Midwest grid, and the company is taking full advantage of federal tax credits to bring those savings to its customers. Sherco Solar is expected to cost around $1.1 billion, but it will qualify for about $480 million in federal tax credits – all of which Xcel says it’s passing on to its customers.
The solar project is also making use of the existing grid connections from the coal plant, which helps speed up the timeline and save money. “With Sherco Solar, we’re maximizing the benefits of the clean energy transition for our customers,” said Ryan Long, president of Xcel Energy for Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
Sherco Solar is creating 400 union construction jobs and 12 permanent jobs for ongoing operations and maintenance. Plus, it’s set to bring about $350 million in economic benefits to the local community as the coal plant phases out.
And there’s more on the horizon: Earlier this month, Xcel started work on a long-duration battery storage project at Sherco with Form Energy, and they’ve proposed even more battery projects for the site. Xcel is also looking to expand Sherco Solar by another 200 MW in a fourth phase of the project.
The utility is committed to ensuring a smooth transition for Sherco’s workers. Xcel has a strong track record of closing or repurposing coal plants without layoffs, and it’s promising jobs to any Sherco employees who want to stay on board.
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MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesota is set to see some snowfall on Wednesday, with some areas bracing for multiple inches.
While the Twin Cities will likely see just trace amounts, parts of western Minnesota are under a winter weather advisory due to higher expected totals.
Snow is already moving into the metro and will continue in patchy, isolated spots through mid-morning. Out west, more consistent snowfall with heavier bands embedded will linger even longer.
WCCO’s live radar below shows the storm as it moves across the state:
Here’s a zoomed-in look at the Twin Cities:
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You can find more radars and weather information on WCCO’s NEXT Weather page.
After the snow moves out Wednesday, cold conditions will remain, though winds will decrease. There’s a chance of more wintry weather next week, just in time for Thanksgiving.
Anthony Bettin
Anthony Bettin is a web producer at CBS Minnesota. He primarily covers breaking news and sports, with a focus on the Minnesota Vikings.