July 20, 2022 The Timberjay Marshall Helmberger REGIONAL— Financial analysts with the state’s Department of Commerce (DOC) are recommending a sharp reduction in Minnesota Power’s request for higher electrical rates for its customers in northeastern Minnesota. Read more.
07Jul
Public Utilities Commission accepting public comments in writing or at virtual or in-person hearings, July 19 and 20
Published July 7, 2022 Minnesota Power has asked to increase electric rates by more than 18 percent: approximately $180 per year for the average household. How much the utility will ultimately be allowed to raise rates will be determined by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC), which is now requesting public input. If you are…
24May
CUB files comments on Minnesota Power’s risky power plant investment
Published May 24, 2022 Minnesota Power, the electric utility serving much of northeastern Minnesota, filed its latest Integrated Resource Plan (“IRP”) in February 2021. An IRP is a roadmap that public utilities use to analyze and model various strategies for meeting electricity demand over the next 15-year time horizon. Ideally, the IRP planning process allows utilities to…
21Apr
CUB fighting Minnesota Power’s proposed 18% rate hike
Published April 21, 2022 In November 2021, Minnesota Power filed documents with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (the PUC) seeking to raise its rates by about 18 percent. If approved, electricity rates would go up by about $15 per month for a typical household in Minnesota Power’s service territory. CUB is fighting back. Background This…
27Dec
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…
06Dec
CenterPoint & MN Power customers will see interim rate increase in January, but less than each utility initially requested
Published December 6, 2021 Last week, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved interim rate increases for both CenterPoint Energy and Minnesota Power. Customers of each utility will see the interim charge on their bills beginning in January. In both decisions, energy affordability for residential customers was at the front of the PUC’s consideration. CenterPoint…
03Dec
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…
02Dec
In Response: Blame big industries’ ups, downs for your proposed bigger Minnesota Power bills
December 2, 2021 Duluth News Tribune Annie Levenson-Falk From the column: “The good news for residential customers is that … Minnesota Power’s rates must be approved by the state Public Utilities Commission, and the PUC never approves increases as high as a utility requests.” The News Tribune’s Nov. 22 “Our View” editorial, “Guess we could…
30Nov
MN Power customers: Blame big industries’ ups and downs for your increasing electric bills
Published December 2, 2021. This article was printed on the opinion pages of the Duluth News Tribune on December 2, 2021. The recent editorial “Our View: Guess we could have left the lights on all these years” asks whether residential energy conservation and clean energy are to blame for this rate increase. The answer –…
11Nov
Minnesota Power backs off hefty interim rate increase
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…