“The commission has listened to us in the past, and we hope they do again,” Robinson said.

The concerns raised Wednesday echo those of state Attorney General Lori Swanson, who earlier this month came out against the rate hike and said “it is particularly galling that the company seeks to disproportionately raise rates on families at a rate more than triple what it’s seeking for its large power customers.” The Department of Commerce has said rates should actually come down from current levels.

Minnesota Power defends the rate increase as necessary to pay for “significant” infrastructure investments.

“We recognize there’s never a good time for an increase, but we believe we’ve delivered an essential service, and an overall 6 percent increase is reasonable after seven years (without one),” said Minnesota Power spokeswoman Amy Rutledge.

Rutledge also said the infrastructure that delivers electricity needs to be paid for fairly.

“Residential customers are paying 30 percent less than the actual cost of serving them,” she said.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission will have the final say on the rate case, with a decision likely coming early next year following the public comment period.

In March, Minnesota Power’s initial rate increase request was scaled back from about $55 million, or 9.1 percent, to $39 million, or 6.1 percent.

An interim rate increase of 5.6 percent took effect earlier this year.

The rate increase under discussion is separate from a bill increase of up to 6.5 percent for residential customers and up to 8 percent for businesses that will go into effect later this year as part of a Minnesota Power plan to reduce costs for its largest industrial customers.

Minnesota Power rate increase public hearings

• Monday: 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., Eveleth Range Recreation & Civic Center, 901 Hat Trick Ave.
• Tuesday: 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., The Inn on Lake Superior, 350 Canal Park Drive, Duluth.
• Wednesday: 6:30 p.m., Itasca Community College Backes Student Center, 1851 E. Highway 169, Grand Rapids.
• Thursday: 5 p.m., Morrison County Government Center, 213 First Ave. S.E., Little Falls.

Written comments are due by July 3 and can be submitted on the PUC website, emailed to consumer.puc@state.mn.us or sent by mail to Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, 121 Seventh Place E., Suite 350, St. Paul, MN 55101-2147.