In the News
State Lawmakers Weigh Providing Relief To Minnesotans Grappling With High Energy Bills, Surcharges From Feb. 2021 Polar Vortex
March 29, 2022 WCCO Caroline Cummings ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) – Minnesota lawmakers are mulling proposals aimed at providing relief to utility customers who are paying for surge charges incurred during a cold snap last February when a winter storm in Texas disrupted natural gas supplies. A proposal that passed out of a Senate committee Wednesday would create a…
Sending Out Resumes? MN Officials Suggest Weatherization Jobs
March 17, 2022 Public News Service Mike Moen Wind and solar often get attention for job growth in clean energy, and in Minnesota, those who specialize in home weatherization say demand for this type of work shouldn’t be overlooked. The new federal infrastructure law includes $3.5 billion for weatherization programs, which help low-income households with projects such…
Report takes aim at CenterPoint’s gains from Texas merger
March 1, 2022 MPR News Kirsti Marohn An advocacy group is raising questions about CenterPoint Energy’s financial interest in a Texas-based energy company that it says made billions of dollars from natural gas price spikes following a February 2021 winter storm. The Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota, which advocates for utility customers, released the report…
Heating costs, driven by high fuel prices, pile on customers already behind on bills
February 26, 2022 Duluth News Tribune Alex Derosier ST. PAUL — Minnesotans have seen their utility bills rise this winter in response to climbing energy prices. While the portion of customers behind on payments has remained steady, filings with state regulators show the amount they owe has grown. In keeping with a general national trend…
“I’m struggling”: Soaring heating bills stress Minnesotans
February 21, 2022 Minnesota Reformer Rilyn Eischens Bebe Brandt turned off the heat, piled on blankets and limited stove use to one day a week this winter in hopes of containing her ballooning heating bill. Still, it wasn’t enough. Brandt, a single mom of two in Minneapolis, said her past-due balance swelled to $400. Brandt’s…