Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota

CUB is calling for an independent, third-party audit of Xcel's customer service and billing departments to address the serious and apparently systemic issues affecting countless customers.

Alongside the MN Dept. of Commerce, the MN Attorney General, Solar Energy Industries Association, Minnesota Solar Energy Industries Association, Legal Service Advocacy Project, & the City of St. Paul, we submitted a letter to the PUC urging them to order a third-party audit paid for by Xcel Energy.

CUB is calling for an independent, third-party audit of Xcel's customer service and billing departments to address the serious and apparently systemic issues affecting countless customers.

Chances are you’ve had to turn on your heating system this season. Winter heating is one of the top contributors to energy bills in Minnesota. Heat your home efficiently & service your heating system at least once a year to save money & energy.

Google and Xcel have claimed that the Pine Island project could provide net benefits of $1.1 billion to Minnesotans. However, the Office of the Attorney General has sounded the alarm that the project could actually cost Minnesotans $1 billion.

Unfortunately, both Google’s benefit claim & the AG’s analysis are based on info that Xcel has designated as non-public. CUB has access to some of this info, & we agree: The proposed electric service agreement between Google & Xcel is inadequate to protect Minnesotans from excessive costs.

Have you been approved for the Energy Assistance Program? Make sure you’re enrolled in your utility’s affordability program. These programs can offer benefits like a monthly bill cap &potential past-due bill forgiveness.

‼️Google just made public how much electricity its Pine Island & Hermantown data centers will use. Pine Island: 780 MW Hermantown: 500 MW That combined electricity need is roughly equal to the power use of more than one million households - or half the total number of households in MN.🔌💡

You might've heard about Xcel's proposal to put a pause on base rate hikes for the next two years. Fresh off its 2025 and 2026 rate increases, just finalized this month, Xcel is proposing spending a planned 20-years of tax credits now as a way to stabilize short-term costs.

We want to make sure that: 🔹 Ratepayers receive the highest benefit possible from these tax credits 🔹 Any short-term savings won’t cause rates to skyrocket in the years ahead 🔹 Any new data centers will pay their fair share

You might've heard about Xcel's proposal to put a pause on base rate hikes for the next two years. Fresh off its 2025 and 2026 rate increases, just finalized this month, Xcel is proposing spending a planned 20-years of tax credits now as a way to stabilize short-term costs.

Xcel customers: Did you see this notice on your MyAccount portal letting you know about the new time-of-use (TOU) rate? Xcel's TOU rate is an *optional* rate offering that charges different costs per kilowatt hour (kWh) depending on what time of day you're using electricity.

The PUC today decided not to reverse its earlier decision to increase Xcel’s authorized return on equity. This past June, the PUC authorized Xcel to increase its electric company return on equity (ROE) from 9.25% to 9.6%, which is a significant factor in the rate increase ultimately approved.

CUB is disappointed by today's decision, and we will continue to advocate for affordable service and fairness between utility corporations and their ratepayers.   More below: cubminnesota.org/puc-affirms-...

The PUC today decided not to reverse its earlier decision to increase Xcel’s authorized return on equity. This past June, the PUC authorized Xcel to increase its electric company return on equity (ROE) from 9.25% to 9.6%, which is a significant factor in the rate increase ultimately approved.

ROE is a key determinant of utility company profits and is part of the rate Xcel charges to its customers.

🧵 This Thursday, the PUC will discuss petitions from CUB and the Office of @keithellison.bsky.social to reconsider increasing Xcel’s return on equity (ROE).

Boosting Xcel’s ROE from 9.25% to 9.6% will cost Minnesotans tens of millions extra every year. As many Xcel customers struggle to keep up with their bills, we don’t think that an increase to Xcel’s profits is warranted. Here’s the link to watch the PUC’s hearing, beginning at 10am: buff.ly/DrH6t5s

“The Attorney General’s Office reached a settlement on Sept. 9 with Minnesota Valley in the civil lawsuit the office originally brought against the cooperative after it discontinued electrical service to a now 70-year-old man in Yellow Medicine County.”

Thank you to the Office of @keithellison.bsky.social for ensuring Minnesota Valley customers have access to these protections.

CUB has reviewed Google's proposed contract for electric service for the Hermantown data center. We are asking for several changes to protect Minnesota Power ratepayers from costs and risks created by the data center. CUB's filing with the PUC here: efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...

🔗Minnesota Power's proposed Electric Service Agreement for the Hermantown data center: efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...

BREAKING: The DC Circuit Court of Appeals has struck down a US Dept. of Energy "emergency" order requiring a Michigan coal plant to remain in operation, siding with ratepayer advocates and others. We'll have more info soon. news.bloomberglaw.com/environment-... 🔌💡

CUB is working hard to ensure that large data centers in MN don’t increase household energy bills. We just published a page on our website all about data center development. 🔹What protections do Minnesotans have when it comes to data center energy use? 🔹How will protections be implemented? -->