Commission Calendar and Upcoming Events
Updated informational available at https://mn.gov/puc/about-us/calendar/.
Date
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Time
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Event
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| Apr 7 |
10am |
Agenda Meeting: Minnesota Power Duluth Loop HVTL Scoping Alternatives; Freeborn Wind Energy Reconsideration, Xcel Energy St. Paul Cogeneration Reconsideration |
| Apr 12 |
10am |
Planning Meeting: TBD |
| Apr 12 |
1pm |
Public Meeting: Dodge County Wind Informational Meeting, Kasson State Theater, Kasson, MN
|
| Apr 12 |
6pm |
Public Meeting: Dodge County Wind Informational Meeting, Kasson State Theater, Kasson, MN |
| Apr 13 |
6pm |
Public Meeting: Dodge County Wind Informational Meeting, Virtual via Webex |
| Apr 14 |
10am |
Agenda Meeting: Frontier Communications Virtual Separation Investigation (Tentative Items)
|
| Apr 19 |
10am |
Planning Meeting: TBD |
|
Apr 20
|
6pm
|
Public Hearing: Sherco Solar Site and Route Permit Hearings, Becker High School, Becker, MN
|
|
Apr 21
|
1pm
|
Public Hearing: Sherco Solar Site and Route Permit Hearings, Virtual via Webex
|
| Apr 21 |
10am |
Agenda Meeting: TBD |
| Apr 28 |
10am |
Agenda Meeting: TBD |
| May 3 |
10am |
Agenda Meeting: Natural Gas Innovation Act – Frameworks to Compare Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas Emission Intensities and Measure Cost-Effectiveness of Resources and Plans (Tentative Item)
|
Notable Commission Decisions or Actions
Filings can be accessed using the docket number at: MN PUC eFiling Search
March 1, 2022 Hearings
CenterPoint Energy Public Hearings (Docket 21-435) An Administrative Law Judge from the Office of the Administrative Hearings held public hearings in late February and March 1 on CenterPoint Energy's proposed rate increase. CenterPoint Energy has requested a rate increase for distribution service. The requested increase is for about 6.5 percent or $67.1 million per year. The requested increase would add about $4.05 to a typical customer's monthly bill.
Public hearings were held in Golden Valley and Mankato, locations in CenterPoint's service territory, and virtually via Webex. Many attendees provided input and the Commission will consider the input when making final decisions, expected in 2022.
Comments will be received through April 11, 2022, instructions on how to file comments are available in the Notice of Public Hearings.
March 3, 2022 Hearings and Decisions
Great Plains Natural Gas Company Revenue Decoupling Program (Docket 21-153) The Commission approved Great Plains’ Revenue Decoupling Mechanism (RDM) factors and tariff changes for 2021. The Commission declined to decide on the continuation of the RDM pilot beyond 2021 and will examine that issue in the upcoming, year-five report on the RDM pilot.
Under Minn. Stat. § 216B.2412 subd. 3, Great Plains’ has been operating an RDM pilot program since January 1, 2017 with the goal of the pilot to remove the disincentive for a utility to invest in energy savings programs that result in reduced sales (also known as decoupling).
Natural Gas Price Spike Public Hearings (Docket 21-135, 21-138, 21-235, 21-610, 21-611) An Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) from the Office of the Administrative Hearings held public hearings on the Commission's Investigation into the February 2021 natural gas price spikes and impacts on Minnesota natural gas utilities and customers. Two hearings were held virtually on March 3. The ALJ and the Commission will consider the input received at these hearings when making final decisions on whether the utilities acted prudently during Winter Storm Uri in February 2022.
The ALJ Report is expected by May 4, 2022 with a final Commission decision to follow.
March 10, 2022 Decisions
Whole Building Energy Data to Facilitate Local Rental Ordinance Compliance (Docket 21-1344, 19-505, 21-761) The Commission approved a plan brought forward by Xcel Energy, CenterPoint Energy, and the City of Minneapolis' to allow energy usage data to be shared with renters to comply with the City’s energy disclosure ordinance. The Commission found the method reasonably protected customer privacy such that obtaining customer consent is not needed.
In November 2020, the Commission adopted Open Data Access Standards which set statewide rules for third-party access to aggregated or anonymized customer energy use data. The Commission’s standards interact with the Minneapolis' Commercial and Multifamily Residential Building Rating and Disclosure Ordinance. The Ordinance requires all Minneapolis residential rental property owners disclose energy use, for rentals of any size, to prospective renters. However, the Commission’s standards require customer consent to be obtained to release energy data for small rental properties in Minneapolis. Due to the large number of these properties, the utilities sought a method to comply with the Ordinance that both protected customer privacy and would also not require customer consent.
The utilities and City of Minneapolis petitioned to use a method that shows prospective renters a range of average, historical bill amounts. For renters, this range will share what could be expected to be paid in energy bills, on average, at a property.
March 17, 2022 Decisions
Great River Energy (GRE) Request to Extend Filing Date for Next Resource Plan (Docket 22-75) The Commission approved GRE’s request to extend its next Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) filing from April 1, 2022 to April 1, 2023. The Commission directed GRE to file an interim update on October 3, 2022, including information on its eight-Fixed Members’ demand and energy purchases from GRE and a discussion of the stakeholder meetings GRE plans to have in developing its IRP.
GRE explained that an extension was needed to incorporate potential impacts from the planned sale of Coal Creek Station and its high-voltage transmission system to Rainbow Energy Center, LLC and Nexus Line, LLC, respectively. The sale of Coal Creek triggers the ability of the Fixed Members to reduce the demand and energy they purchase from GRE. GRE argued those potential changes in its sales forecast and resource plan modeling could be significant.
March 24, 2022 Decisions
Xcel Energy Electric Vehicle (EV) Programs (Dockets 20-745 20-492) The Commission approved Xcel Energy’s request to build 21 DC Fast Charging stations throughout rural Minnesota. Xcel Energy requested $5 million to build the EV charging stations which it included in its pending rate case.
The Commission rejected Xcel Energy’s $150 million request to offer rebates for electric light duty vehicles, transit buses, and school buses. The Commission agreed with the Office of the Attorney General that the Commission lacked authority under Minnesota law to authorize ratepayer funded rebates. This will result in a reduction to Xcel’s pending rate request in Docket 21-630, where the costs of the rebates were included as a capital asset.
March 28 and 29, 2022 Hearings
Hayward Solar Public Hearings (Docket 21-112, 21-113) An Administrative Law Judge from the Office of the Administrative Hearings held public hearings on March 28 and 29 as part of the Hayward Solar Certificate of Need and Site Permit proceedings. The Hayward Solar Project is a 150 MW solar project proposed to be built in Freeborn County.
The in-person hearing was held at the Wedgewood Cove Golf Club in Albert Lea Minnesota. Over 40 people attended between the two hearings and many attendees provided input that will included into the record, the public input will be considered by the Commission in making final decisions, expected in mid-2022. If approval is granted, the project is anticipated to be operational in 2023.
Comments will be received through April 15, 2022, instructions on how to file comments are available in the Notice of Public Hearings.
March 31, 2022 Decisions
Xcel Energy Approval of a Credit Mechanism to Return to Customers DOE Settlement Payments and Other Refunds (Dockets 19-688, 92-1185, 92-1186, 21-369, 21-815) The Commission approved Xcel Energy’s 2020 property tax true-up report and refund plan, 2018 annual incentive compensation report and refund plan, and Xcel's proposal to refund the DOE's settlement payment. The Commission modified Xcel's proposed interest rate used to calculate the refund payments and required compliance filings on future year refunds to ensure competitive interest rates are brokered by Xcel to maximize refunds to consumers.
Minnesota Electric Utilities - Transportation Electrification Plans (Docket 17-879) The Commission accepted Dakota Electric, Minnesota Power, Otter Tail Power, and Xcel Energy's 2021 Transportation Electrification Plans.
The Commission also requested consultations with utilities and stakeholders in the current proceeding on procedural efficiency and timing for future transportation electrification plans. A recommendation, anticipated by July 1, 2022, will be filed for a notice of comment with the goal of integrating transportation electrification plans into the November 1, 2023 Integrated Distribution Plans and encouraging each investor-owned utility to file EV programs and investment proposals as a portfolio.
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