Becker, Minnesota

The Sherburne County Generating Station, also known as Sherco, is a large coal-fired power plant on the banks of the Mississippi River in Becker, Minnesota, which is in Sherburne County. Its three units have a combined capacity of 2,238 megawatts, making it the largest power plant in the state. In comparison, the single-unit Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant located less than four miles away has an output of 671 MW. The state's other nuclear power plant, the 2-unit Prairie Island facility, is rated at 1,096 MW, so Sherco has a larger peak output than those plants put together. The station uses 20,000 to 30,000 tons of coal per day. The BNSF Railway delivers up to three 115-car trains per day from mines in the Powder River Basin. In addition to generating electricity, some steam is also sent from the plant to a nearby paper plant, Liberty Paper Incorporated. The power plant has a normal staff of about 350 people, but up to 800 more employees are on site when the generating units are shut down and undergoing maintenance. The city borders of Becker extend around the plant, making the town heavily dependent on the plant for property tax revenue. The plant's annual $4 million property tax bill covers about 75% of the total for the city of about 4,600 people.The plant was initially constructed by Northern States Power Company (NSP), now a subsidiary of Xcel Energy. Units 1 and 2, which each have a capacity of 680 MW, came online in 1976 and 1977, respectively. The plant is still mostly owned by NSP/Xcel, although Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency has a 41 percent stake in the 876-MW Unit 3, which was built from 1983 to 1987 at a cost of about $1 billion.Unit 2 was shutdown on New Year's Eve in 2023.

The Herbert M. Fox House is a pioneer farmhouse in Becker, Minnesota, United States. It was built in 1876 with an unusual construction method using load-bearing vertical planks rather than wall studs. It originally stood in Santiago Township, was moved to Becker in 1981, and moved again in 2006 to the grounds of the Sherburne History Center. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 for its local significance in the themes of architecture and exploration/settlement. It was nominated for being an example of early pioneer architecture in Minnesota, representing the houses of mid-19th-century subsistence farmers while displaying a rare vernacular construction method.

Becker Township is a township in Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 3,605 at the 2000 census.

Minnesota's 6th congressional district includes most or all of Benton, Carver, Sherburne, Stearns, Wright, and Anoka counties. Many of the Twin Cities' outer northern and western suburbs are included within the boundaries of this district, such as Blaine (the district's largest city), Andover, Chaska, Ramsey, St. Michael-Albertville, Elk River, Chanhassen, Otsego, Lino Lakes, Buffalo, Ham Lake, Monticello, Waconia, Big Lake, East Bethel, and Victoria. The St. Cloud Area is the other major center of population for the district, including the cities of St. Cloud (the district's second-largest city), Sartell, Sauk Rapids and Waite Park. It is currently represented by Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.

Enfield is an unincorporated community in Silver Creek Township, Wright County, Minnesota, United States. The community is located along Wright County Road 75 near Clementa Avenue NW. Nearby places include Hasty, Clearwater, and Monticello. Interstate 94 is nearby.

The Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant is a nuclear power plant located in Monticello, Minnesota, along the Mississippi River. The site, which began operating in 1971, has a single nuclear reactor (boiling water reactor) of the General Electric BWR-3 design generating 671 MWe. The reactor was originally licensed until 2010; a renewal license issued in 2006 allows it to continue operating until September 8, 2030.The plant is owned by Xcel Energy and operated by Northern States Power, its regional subsidiary.

Salida is an unincorporated community in Becker Township, Sherburne County, Minnesota, United States. The community is near the junction of U.S. Highway 10 and Sherburne County Road 11. Nearby towns include Becker and Big Lake.

Hasty is an unincorporated community in Wright County, Minnesota, United States. The community is near the junction of Interstate 94 and Wright County Road 8. Hasty is within Clearwater Township and Silver Creek Township. Nearby places include Clearwater, Monticello, Silver Creek, Maple Lake, and Lake Maria State Park. Wright County Road 75 and 150th Street NW are also in the immediate area.

Silver Creek Township is a township in Wright County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 2,332 at the 2000 census.

Lake Maria State Park ( mə-RY-ə) is a state park of Minnesota, United States, created to provide a wilderness area within an easy drive of Minneapolis–Saint Paul. The park's amenities are designed primarily for hikers, backpackers, and horseback riders and consequently use remains light compared to other state parks around the metro area. It preserves a remnant of Big Woods atop a hilly, glacially-formed landscape dotted with lakes and wetlands. The park was established in 1963 west of the city of Monticello.

Sherburne County is a county in Central Minnesota. At the 2020 census, the population was 97,183. The county seat is Elk River.Sherburne County is included in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Monticello ( MON-tih-SEL-oh) is a city next to the Mississippi River in Wright County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 14,455 at the 2020 census.