Published July 26, 2022 Otter Tail Power will soon offer an electricity bill discount to income-qualified customers after the company’s proposal was approved by the Public Utilities Commission last week. With this approval, all of Minnesota’s investor owned utilities will now offer affordability programs for customers with low incomes. Otter Tail’s program, called Uplift, will…
June 19, 2022 Star Tribune Mike Hughlett Utility bills can be confusing. Here’s a breakdown of what all the lines on a typical bill mean and what your bill funds. The electricity-sucking summer air-conditioning season is upon us, just as energy costs are soaring. With that in mind, consumers might be scrutinizing their electricity bills….
Published February 9, 2022 Yesterday, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) made its determination in Xcel Energy’s integrated resource plan (IRP), mapping Xcel’s future power generation. The plan will substantially reduce emissions while maintaining reliability. Under the plan, Xcel will close expensive fossil fuel generators, build out clean energy resources, help affected power plant workers…
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…
Published January 7, 2022 If you receive natural gas or electricity service from Xcel Energy, you’ll notice an interim rate increase on your next bill. Before the holidays, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved the increases, beginning January 1, but at substantially lower amounts than Xcel initially requested. An interim rate hike is a…
November 11, 2021 Star Tribune Jana Hollingsworth DULUTH — Minnesota Power Wednesday proposed a reduced interim rate increase to its residential customers, following last week’s filing with state regulators. On Nov. 1, the Duluth-based utility proposed to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) an electricity rate increase of 17.58%, or $108 million. The company requested an interim…
October 26, 2021 MPR News Kirsti Marohn Minnesota’s largest utility, Xcel Energy, is asking to raise its electricity rates by around 20 percent over the next three years. Xcel says it needs the increase to cover the costs of replacing an aging electrical system as it transitions to more renewable energy. It comes at a…
October 26, 2021 KARE11 Kent Erdahl MINNEAPOLIS — Minnesotans are already bracing for big jumps in heating costs this winter, and now the state’s largest electricity provider, Xcel Energy, is requesting a rate increase of around 20% over the next three years. Xcel is requesting an electricity rate increase of 21.2%, or $677.4 million, between…
October 25, 2021 Star Tribune Mike Hughlett Minnesota’s largest electric utility filed its rate case Monday with the state Public Utilities Commission, which must approve it. Xcel Energy on Monday proposed an electricity rate increase of 21.2%, or $677.4 million, over three years, with just more than half hitting Minnesotans’ pocketbooks in 2022. With the…
Published September 8, 2021 It will be a busy fall at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. This blog post provides a brief overview of the policy and regulatory work CUB expects to be involved in over the next several months. There are already numerous complex dockets underway before the Commission, including several unique dockets arising…
