Published January 10, 2023 CUB is pleased to have played an important role in a new regulatory development: Minnesota will now require its three largest natural gas utilities to file integrated resource plans (IRPs)! This blog post provides an overview of how this requirement arose and why it matters. On September 15, 2022, Minnesota’s four largest…
Published December 14, 2022 Last week, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) affirmed its decision that gas utilities must share in the costs of a severe natural gas price spike that occurred in February of last year. Winter Storm Uri, which occurred over Presidents’ Day weekend in February 2021, froze natural gas infrastructure in Texas and…
Published November 23, 2022 On September 23, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) accepted and adopted a settlement that established increased rates for CenterPoint Energy Minnesota Gas (CenterPoint) customers. Residential customers will see the interim rate of 3.9 percent which went into effect on January 1, 2022, become permanent. Below is a brief summary and…
November 9, 2022 Star Tribune Mike Hughlett Minnesota’s two largest gas utilities are challenging a state ruling prohibiting them from together charging consumers $55 million for costs incurred during a 2021 winter storm. CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy on Tuesday asked the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to “reconsider” its August decision, which faulted the two utilities…
Published October 18, 2022 Rising energy costs have been big news across the world this year. As Minnesotans enter the heating season, it’s a concern here too. We’re not fans of sharing bad news, but many of us should expect noticeably higher heating costs this winter. Below are some highlights from the Winter Fuels Outlook provided…
Published August 22, 2022 Since the fall of 2021, most Minnesotans who receive natural gas from CenterPoint Energy, Xcel Energy, Minnesota Energy Resources (“MERC”), or Great Plains Natural Gas Co. have had an extra surcharge added to their monthly gas bills. These surcharges enable the above utilities to gradually recover approximately $660 million in extraordinary…
August 11, 2022 Minnesota Reformer Max Nesterak The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission decided Thursday that three of the state’s largest gas utilities may not charge customers for the entire cost of gas during the 2021 winter storm that sent prices surging and froze critical gas infrastructure in Texas and Oklahoma.
August 11, 2022 Star Tribune Mike Hughlett Minnesota utility regulators Thursday faulted the state’s gas providers for their response to a February 2021 storm, prohibiting them from passing down nearly $60 million in costs to consumers.
August 4, 2022 Star Tribune Mike Hughlett The Public Utilities Commission will make a final decision next week on whether the utilities can pass $660 million in costs to ratepayers. Read more.
July 11, 2022 Public News Service Mike Moen In the near future, Minnesota regulators will decide whether companies such as CenterPoint Energy can keep customer surcharges in place related to a 2021 winter storm. Watchdogs worry utilities are leaning too much on ratepayers for higher natural-gas prices. In February of 2021, Winter Storm Uri sent…
