On Tuesday, the state Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved a rate increase for Minnesota Power electric customers. The increase was much smaller than the utility had requested, and is less than the interim rate increase already applied to customers’ bills, so most or all households will see a small refund when the new rates go…
Minnesota Power recently proposed to build and own a new natural gas power plant. CUB will be watching closely as the proposal goes through regulatory review to make sure that this investment would be a good deal for consumers. Minnesota’s public utilities are monopoly companies whose investors earn a rate of return on projects like…
Minnesota Power customers could be paying an average of $225 more than last year for their electric service. Customers who use more electricity than average, including people with electric heat, would see higher increases. Customers that use the least energy, many of whom are seniors and lower-income families, would have the highest proportional rate increase….
If you follow this blog, you know that Minnesota Power has proposed two rate increases for its electric customers. Here’s an update. Warning: This blog is going to get long. It will cover: Summary of potential rate increases You may be exempt from the EITE rate increase Tell the PUC what you think — written…
Minnesota Power customers could soon be paying about 6.7% more on their electric bills under a proposal approved yesterday by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). The money would be used to reduce electric costs for 11 industrial customers by 5%. This industrial subsidy, and the associated charge for other customers, is possible under a law passed in 2015 for “energy-intensive,…
Minnesota Power customers should expect to see an increase in their electric rates starting the first of the year. This reflects an “interim” increase of 5.6% approved by the Public Utilities Commission today, the first step in Minnesota Power’s request for a larger “general” rate increase. As we’ve talked about on this blog, Minnesota Power has requested to…
Minnesota Power, which serves many people in northeastern and central Minnesota, is requesting rate increases that would result in an average 28% hike for its residential customers. The utility has two requests before the state regulatory body, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). On November 2, it requested a general rate increase, proposing to hike residential rates…
November 19, 2016 / Duluth News Tribune “Wind is on the list (of factors driving Minnesota Power’s request to raise rates). But it’s not the biggest factor of the five factors that they have on that list. I would say driving their need for investment (is the utility’s) need (for) more generation, period. The comparison…
October 6, 2016 / International Falls Journal / To the editor, I am (International Falls) Councilor (Cynthia) Jaksa’s mother and a Roosevelt Democrat and a member of the “Greatest Generation.” The first great Depression was caused by the concentration of wealth in the hands of a few and right now that condition exists today because…
Published September 16, 2016 Yesterday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission permitted Minnesota Power to offer 11 of its industrial customers a break of about 5% off their electric rates. In a 3-2 decision, Commissioners agreed with the utility and the state Department of Commerce that the break would have a net benefit to the utility….
