Published November 2, 2021 Many Minnesotans have recently seen, or will soon see, their natural gas bills dramatically increase. This presents a huge concern for many households – particularly those already struggling to make ends meet in the midst of an ongoing global pandemic. There are a few reasons for these bill increases. First, natural…
Published August 11, 2021 Over President’s Day Weekend 2021, four of Minnesota’s natural gas utilities (CenterPoint, Xcel, MERC, and Great Plains) collectively incurred hundreds of millions of dollars in extraordinary costs providing natural gas to their Minnesota customers. Normally, extraordinary costs (those that exceed what utilities had budgeted for when setting rates) are passed through…
May 28, 2021 Sahan Journal Andrew Hazzard A rare bipartisan bill aims to help Minnesota lower emissions while offering significant savings for low-income families, including many people of color. Governor Tim Walz signed the Energy Conservation and Optimization (ECO) Act into law May 25. The bill modernizes the state’s Conservation Improvement Program, a long-term energy-…
Published May 26, 2021 This past February, severe cold weather in Texas and the Midwest caused natural gas prices to spike nationwide. The price spike was caused by a “perfect storm” of: (i) increased demand (many households rely on natural gas for heat), (ii) reduced supply (some gas pipelines literally froze up in Texas and…
Published April 2, 2021 Two weeks ago, I wrote about proposed legislation to help consumers weather a dramatic spike in the price of natural gas that occurred in February. The issue is moving forward in both the legislative and regulatory arenas, so I am back with an update. The severe cold weather that hit Texas…
Published June 23, 2020 Last Thursday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) adopted recommendations from CUB and partners to reconnect gas service to thousands of Minnesotans who are currently shut off and to strengthen consumers’ shutoff protections during COVID-19 and beyond. CUB has joined together with Energy CENTS Coalition, Minnesota Community Action Partnership, and Legal…
Published February 10, 2020 For decades, Minnesota utilities have been required by law to help their customers save energy through the Conservation Improvement Program. Utilities offer rebates on efficient appliances, discounted home energy audits, and more to help people and businesses lower their energy bills. Consumers’ conservation, in turn, saves money for everyone. It reduces…
Published August 28, 2019 When renting an apartment or home it is important to consider the utilities you need to pay for in addition to your rent. Here are some general tips to help you get prepared when your utility bill comes in. Find out what you are responsible for. Renters are often expected to…
The Minnesota House and Senate have passed their major energy packages, and negotiations are beginning on these and all areas of spending and policy. The legislature is set to adjourn on May 20, and, as usual, the majority of bills will be settled during the final weeks or days of session. Most energy provisions are…
Recently, the Senate took action to shift hundreds of millions of dollars in energy costs from the state’s largest industry onto regular people. On March 14, the Senate Energy Committee heard Senator David Senjem’s Clean Energy First Act (SF 1456). Clean Energy First was a carefully written bill that would require utilities to look first…
