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NEWSLETTER - SEPTEMBER 2023 |
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We are hiring an engineer and financial analysts
The Commission is looking for their next regulatory engineer who will be responsible for directing the technical engineering function for the Commission related to distributed energy resources. This includes interconnection, energy storage, and distribution grid hosting capacity. This individual will also be responsible for making expert technical engineering recommendations in the review, analysis, and coordination of the activities of professional engineers and technical support staff.
We are also hiring financial analysts to work on rate cases and other projects relating to energy policy and rate regulation. With the clean energy transition in full swing and many new developments underway in the legislative, regulatory, and technological arenas, this is an exciting time to dive into energy utility regulation.
The Commission is a great place to work, offering excellent benefits and hybrid workplace options. For details and to apply, visit the PUC’s careers page.
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Commission calendar and upcoming events
The information below is subject to change. Current information available online at PUC calendar.
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DATE
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TIME
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DETAILS
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Sept 4
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Closed
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Office closed for the holiday
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Sept 6
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9 AM
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Natural Gas Service Quality Workgroup Hybrid Meeting
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Sept 7
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: Xcel Energy approval of its Community Solar Garden Program; Great River Energy route permit to rebuild 69 kV ST-WW transmission line to 115 kV in Stearns County; Nexus Line HVDC transmission line transfer route permit and financial assurance
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Sept 14
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: Costs of future carbon dioxide regulation on electricity generation for the years 2023-2024; Xcel Energy rate case reconsideration
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Sept 19
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10 AM
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Planning meeting: Conservation Improvement Program Triennial Plans
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Sept 21
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: LTD ETC revocation; Xcel solar RFP; Annual ETC designations; Xcel EV program and federal funds
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Sept 22
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10 AM
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MISO Quarterly Meeting
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Noteworthy decisions
Filings can be accessed using the docket number at: MN PUC eFiling Search
August 3, 2023
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Xcel Energy’s 2021 Integrated Distribution System Plan and Request for Certification of Distributed Intelligence and the Resilient Minneapolis Project (21-694) The Commission accepted the Company’s withdrawal of its increase to the cost cap for the Resilient Minneapolis Project (RMP). Recognizing that more work needed to be done, the Commission ordered Xcel to continue working with site hosts and the communities and come back in 180 days with a revised RMP proposal. Xcel must collaborate with host communities and site owners to develop the proposal and include information on public interest, objectives and how resilience for host communities will be improved.
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Xcel Energy’s motion to withdraw its Clean Transportation Portfolio from Commission consideration (22-423) The Commission accepted Xcel’s request to withdraw its Clean Transportation Portfolio subject to multiple conditions, including that Xcel file a Transportation Electrification Plan by November 1, 2023. Additionally, the Commission approved adjustments to budgets to ensure federal matching funds for several ongoing electric vehicle programs.
August 10, 2023
August 17, 2023
August 24, 2023
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Xcel Energy for a Certificate of Need for additional dry cask storage at the Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation in Wright County (21-668) The Commission approved Xcel Energy’s request for a certificate of need to expand spent fuel storage at Monticello’s Nuclear Generating Plant. The Commission’s decision does not address plant operations beyond 2040, which will be subject to review in future resource planning proceedings. News release.
August 31, 2023
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Application of Summit Carbon Solutions, LLC, for a Routing Permit for the Otter Tail to Wilkin Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Project in Otter Tail and Wilkin Counties, Minnesota (22-422) The Commission approved the scope of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for Summit Carbon’s Otter Tail to Wilkin Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Project. The next step is for the Department to begin drafting the EIS. Once the draft is complete, the public will have a chance to review and provide comments before for the final EIS is considered by the Commission. Environmental review must be completed before the Commission issues decides whether to issue a route permit. News release.
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Application of Elk Creek Solar, LLC for a Site Permit for the up to 80 MW Elk Creek Solar Project in Rock County, Minnesota (19-495) The Commission approved a modified permit amendment process that will supplement the initial environmental assessment, include additional public comment opportunities, and also recommended close collaboration with the DOC EERA, MN DNR, and Rock County SWCD in order to move the process of developing the environmental assessment supplement as quickly as possible.
Other decisions
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DOCKET
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FILING OR DOCKET SUMMARY
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23-197
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The Commission approved the request of the City of Bigelow and Nobles Cooperative Electric to update electric service territory records.
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23-203
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The Commission approved the request of Rochester Public Utilities and People’s Energy Cooperative to update electric service territory records.
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22-600
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The Commission took no action regarding the current ban on third-party demand response aggregators of retail customers (ARCs) participating directly in wholesale markets.
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22-312
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The Commission accepted Minnkota’s Integrated Resource Plan and moved discussions of greenhouse gas emission accounting to the RES/CFS/SES docket in 23-151.
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21-335
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The Commission approved participant compensation requests for the Citizens Utility Board and Energy Cents Coalition, finding that their involvement had materially assisted the Commission in establishing reasonable rates for Minnesota Power.
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21-114
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The Commission accepted the regulated natural gas utilities’ 2020-2021 annual automatic adjustment reports and approved their 2020-2021 annual true-up filings.
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21-335
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The Commission approved Minnesota Power’s interim rate refund plan, and approved implementation of Final Rates effective October 1, 2023. Refunds of the difference between interim rates and final rates for non-residential customers are anticipated to appear on customers’ November bills.
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Public meetings and hearings
Cedar Lake Transmission Line Reroute Project: On August 1-2, the PUC and Department of Commerce held public information and environmental analysis scoping meetings and took public comment on Great River Energy’s application for a route permit. The project is to construct approximately 6.3 miles of 115 kV transmission line (HVTL) to connect the Cedar Lake substation to GRE’s MV-EVX 115-kV HVTL in Scott and Rice counties. Approximately 30 people attended to two meetings. Additional project information found here.
HVDC Modernization Project in St. Louis County: On August 29-30, the PUC and Department of Commerce held public information and environmental analysis scoping meetings and took public comment on Minnesota Power’s application for a certificate of need and a high voltage transmission line route permit for the High-Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) transmission line project near Hermantown. The project proposes to modernize and upgrade the Minnesota terminal of its Square Butte line and interconnect to the existing transmission system near its Arrowhead Substation in Hermantown. The project includes the construction of approximately 40 acres of new terminal facilities and high voltage transmission lines to connect those facilities to each other and the existing electrical grid. Public comment is open until September 13. How to comment and project information found here.
Distributed Generation Workgroup: On August 18, the DGWG met to discuss utilities’ draft Technical Specification Manuals (TSMs) and the timing of utilities fully implementing the statewide Technical Interconnection and Interoperability Requirements (TIIR) requiring the use of advanced inverter functions. The Commission anticipates issuing a Notice this Fall that advanced inverters are “readily available” in the market to trigger the move to full TIIR implementation. Utilities will file their TSMs by September 1 to prepare for this transition.
The DGWG also reviewed the Utility Required Profiles (URPs) that Interconnection Customers or their Application Agents (e.g. developers) will need to complete confirming the proper settings on the advanced inverters. The next DGWG meeting is November 17, 2023, and will focus on unintentional islanding and microgrids among other topics. For more information on our website. (Docket No. E999/CI-16-521)
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Notable new dockets or filings
You can search for a docket as well as subscribe to receive email notifications when new documents are added to a docket. Learn more on our eDockets webpage.
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DOCKET
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FILING OR DOCKET SUMMARY
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23-367
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Xcel filed a notice of local review of the Sherco Long Duration Storage pilot. City of Becker filed a response acknowledging they would assume responsibility for local review of the 10 MW storage project.
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20-711
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Xcel filed a letter requesting approval of a budget expansion of the Multi-Family Dwelling Unit Electric Vehicle Service Pilot from $4.4 million to $8.8 million; including the HOURCAR project discussed during the Commission’s consideration of withdrawal of Xcel’s Clean Transportation Portfolio.
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23-8
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Dept filed comments recommending annual re-certification of specific Eligible Telecommunication Carriers (ETC), taking no action on ETC provision of Lifeline Services and address separately, require all high cost ETC to share results of performance measures testing in YR-8 filings, no action on quarterly tribal engagement reports, and continue said reports with previous requirements.
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22-415, -416
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Minnesota Power and Great River Energy filed the combined CN and route permit for the Northland Reliability Project. Segment 1: 140 miles of double-circuit 345 kV txn connecting Iron Range and Cuyuna and Benton stations; Segment 2: replacing two existing HV txn lines between Benton, Big Oaks, and Sherco. Project also expands Iron Range Substation and new construction of Cuyuna Series Compensation Station near Riverton Substation with a txn line reroute.
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23-200
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Xcel filed the CN that involves installing a second 345 kV circuit on double-circuit capable structures installed when the Brookings County – Hampton 345 kV transmission line was originally constructed. The Project will also require reconfiguring certain lines near substations; upgrade the Brookings County, Lyon County, Helena, and Hampton substations with new 345 kV breakers; and require relay setting changes to the Steep Bank Lake and Hawks Nest Lake substations. The project is to relieve congestion, support carbon-free energy transition, and Xcel estimates $334.83 million in production cost and other quantifiable economic benefits over the 63-year life. (Multiple filings). Xcel also filed an update to the Notice Plan noting an additional $46 million (total $323 million) in production-cost and other economic benefits over 20 years when adjusting discount rate and the start date of savings to the anticipated in-service date.
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03-802
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Xcel Energy, Otter Tail Power, and Minnesota Power filed lessons learned on Fuel Clause Adjustment (FCA) reforms. Xcel also addresses allocation of Community Solar Gardens in the FCA.
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22-504
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ALJ Report recommends adopting the settlement and highlights: a net incremental revenue increase of $21.242 million, a substantially smaller general revenue increase than the $40.322 million (rate case and rider roll-ins), or $32.76million increase (net revenue deficiency) without rider roll-ins, requested in MERC’s application, lower share of increase to Residential than MERC proposed, and 9.65 ROE (6.72 COC).
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`6-521
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Xcel reports active 3,100 distributed energy resource interconnection applications as of Jul 1, 2023 (731 new applications in Q2 2023), improved timeframes for review across tracks, ongoing concerns with grid constraints and supply chain delays, cost sharing program has spent ~$91k on distribution upgrades for small DERs.
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22-572, -579
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Amber Kestrel LLC filed a project update acknowledging the delay can be lifted and the company is still moving forward with a data center in Xcel Energy’s MN service territory and requests agenda meeting in late Sept/early October.
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23-151
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Multiple parties filed responses to the PUC Notice on implementation of legislative changes to the Renewable Energy Standard. This docket will also address Carbon Free Standard in the future.
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Get involved in the PUC process
The Commission encourages Minnesotans to get involved in our processes, stay informed on utility-related issues, and provide input on topics of interest. Visit our website to see what is currently open for public comment. Also, check out the series of short videos that explains who we are, how we work and how to get involved.
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