Minnesota Power facility tours are a great way for your school or organization to learn about our community's resources. We have found that students and adults of all ages are fascinated by the goings-on at our varied thermal generating plants, renewable hydroelectric stations and Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center.

Available Tours | Tour Policy | Registration Form

Boswell Energy Center's four units can produce more than one million kilowatts of power -enough to light 28 cities the size of Duluth.

• Located 10 miles west of Grand Rapids
• Maximum tour group size is 30 persons
• Minimum age of 12

Laskin Energy Center produces more than 110,000 kilowatts of power. It is a low-sulfur, sub-bituminous coal generating station. Both of the two units are rated at 55 megawatts

• Located on Colby Lake between Aurora and Hoyt Lakes
• Maximum tour group size is 30 persons
• Minimum age of 12

Taconite Harbor Energy Center is a low-sulfur, sub-bituminous coal generating station. Each of the three units are rated at 75 megawatts and were acquired from LTV in October 2001.

• Located in Schroeder
• Maximum tour group size is 30 persons
• Minimum age of 12

M.L. Hibbard Facility utilizes waste wood which provides a renewable, recyclable, low sulfur fuel source. Approximately 90% of all ash produced at the M.L. Hibbard Facility is utilized as a soil nutrient on area farmlands, reducing the amount of ash being landfilled.

• Located in West Duluth
• Maximum tour group size is 12 persons
• Persons touring this facility must be high school age or older

Thomson Energy Center is Minnesota Power's largest hydroelectric plant and the largest hydro facility in the state. Thomson's output of 70,000 kilowatts is sufficient to power all the homes in Duluth.

• Located on the St. Louis River in Jay Cooke Park
• Thomson Energy Center is open to tours on selected days in the summer
• Maximum tour group size is 30 persons
• Minimum age of 12.

Rapids Energy Center provides Blandin Paper Company with steam, compressed air and electrical energy. Wood waste material (biomass) from the paper mill and local forest product companies is burned in conjunction with coal in two high pressure boilers to produce steam. On an annual basis approximately 80% of the fuel utilized is biomass. The facility has two steam turbines and two hydro units for a combined generation capacity of 26 MW’s. The ash generated at Rapids Energy Center is distributed as a soil nutrient on area farmlands and for use as agricultural feed pads.

• Located on NW 3 rd Street in Grand Rapids
• Maximum tour group size is 12 persons
• Persons touring this facility must be high school age or older

Our policy is to ensure the safety of employees, visitors, and facilities, as well as the continuous supply of safe, reliable service to our community. Please read the following information carefully.

Minnesota Power offers tours to educational institutions and organizations.

Persons who have cardiac pacemakers are prohibited from participating in our hydroelectric plant tours

Public tours are booked on a first-come basis and require a minimum of three weeks advance notice. All tours are limited to 30 people. All facilities require minimum age of 12.

The organization requesting a tour must provide a list of names of all tour attendees, a contact name and phone number a minimum of five working days prior to the the tour. Schools must provide three adult chaperones.

No backpacks, briefcases, camera, cell phones, video recording devices, etc. are allowed in any facility.

Appropriate dress is mandatory for all tours, which includes pants, closed-toed walking shoes and clothing accessories for expected weather. Due to safety concerns, visitors with inappropriate dress may not be able to tour the entire operational facility. Minnesota Power will provide additional safety equipment, when required, to tour a facility. (i.e. hard hats, safety glasses, hearing protection).

Our facilities are not handicapped accessible.

All tour participants must remain under the control and guidance of the tour guide. Any person or group deviating from the guided tour may be escorted from the facility.