Author Archives: Hannah Hoeger

Take advantage of electric heat rates and no sales tax

Published January 25, 2022 For households that heat their home with electric heat, bills can be especially high, running in the hundreds of dollars each month. If you have electric heat as a primary heating source, we encourage you to contact your utility about winter electric heating rates and programs. Electric heat is often the…

Xcel’s long-range plan faces pushback over role of fossil peaking plants

January 21, 2022 Energy News Network Frank Jossi Xcel Energy’s proposal to potentially build two new natural gas peaking plants has become a key point of contention in the utility’s long-term resource plan currently before Minnesota utility regulators. The two natural gas combustion turbine plants are part of Xcel’s integrated resource plan, a document utilities…

Minnesota House DFL proposes spending $1B of surplus on climate plan

January 20, 2022 Duluth News Tribune Alex Derosier ST. PAUL — Minnesota House Democrats are proposing the state use $1 billion of its projected, record-breaking $7.7 billion budget surplus for a wide range of legislation aimed at curbing the effects of human-caused climate change. At a news conference Wednesday, Jan. 19, the House Climate Action…

Dispelling Misinformation on Wind, Solar Amid Utility Rate Hikes

January 20, 2022 Public News Service Mike Moen Minnesota is seeing a flurry of utility rate hikes either being considered or taking effect. Those who support renewable energy warn there’s some misleading information in the public sphere about what is behind the activity. Xcel Energy has a pending rate hike before state regulators. If approved, it would…

We’re hiring: Paid full-time legal intern

Published January 18, 2022 CUB is pleased to announce that the Minnesota State Bar Association, Public Utilities Section will be providing a stipend to partially support a paid legal internship with CUB for the summer of 2022. Interested law students can apply for the position by responding to the job posting below. Please spread the…

Electric and gas rates set to rise across Minnesota

December 27, 2021 MPR News Dan Kraker It’s been a busy few weeks at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. The PUC is charged with approving the rates that the state’s regulated utilities can charge for their electric and natural gas service.  And right now, the state’s biggest electric and gas utilities are all requesting rate…

Minnesota utility regulators soften rate increases sought by Xcel

December 9, 2021 Star Tribune Brooks Johnson Recognizing Minnesota residents are “under financial distress,” state regulators slashed a proposed Xcel Energy electric rate increase. Interim residential rates will still rise, but only about $5.50 a month instead of about $8.50. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Thursday approved a total interim rate increase of…

Regulators approve interim rate hike for Minnesota Power customers

December 2, 2021 Duluth News Tribune Jimmy Lovrien The 7.11% increase will take effect in January. Minnesota Power customers will see bills go up beginning Jan. 1. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission on Thursday morning unanimously approved raising rates for the company’s residential customers by 7.11% and its industrial and commercial customers by 14.23%. The…

Your winter energy savings checklist

Published November 30, 2021 Households might be feeling extra strained this winter season from rising heating costs. Some natural gas customers are also seeing surcharges on their bills from the February 2021 winter storm costs. While these things are largely out of our control, actions you take around your home to weatherproof and use less…

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