More commotion in Range economic development

I’m still catching up from my trip to the Twin Cities. Here are some of the headlines from the last two days.

Essar Steel is delayed eight months because of financing issues. This is the combined mine and steel mill in Nashwauk that’s been talked about in some form for approaching two decades but that had finally begun construction. Concerns about the health of the project are being raised again. (Mike Jennings, Hibbing Daily Tribune)

Beleaguered start-up company Excelsior Energy discussed plans to sell electricity from the proposed Mesaba Energy Project to cash-strapped public utilities around the state. (Again, Mike Jennings, Hibbing Daily Tribune). For me this idea puts the “dude?” in dubious. I want to know how this expensive (more than $2 billion) experimental plant could provide least-cost power to utilities owned directly by taxpayers.

I’ll have more later in the day.