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NEWSLETTER - FEBRUARY 2024 |
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Governor Walz appoints Hwikwon Ham as next PUC commissioner
Hwikwon Ham was appointed to the Public Utilities Commission by Governor Walz, on January 3, 2024. Commissioner Ham has spent 20+ years in state government working on energy issues. His expertise lies in ensuring grid reliability, fostering efficient energy markets, guiding transmission planning, and advocating for equitable transmission cost allocation. Commissioner Ham has advocated for Minnesota interests within the complex landscape of federally regulated Regional Transmission Organizations and engaged in the MISO stakeholder process. He has served as a staff member of the Organization of MISO States and led the Market Work Group.
His goal is to be a valuable resource in the effort to reach 100% clean energy by 2040, ensuring reliability and affordability along the way. “Commissioner Ham’s training in economics and deep knowledge of the energy system will enable him to meaningfully contribute to the many complex decisions we will make in the years ahead," said PUC Chair Sieben.
His term expires January 3, 2028.
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Commissioner Tuma elected president of Southwest Power Pool’s Regional State Committee
In January, Commissioner John Tuma was elected president of Southwest Power Pool’s (SPP) Regional State Committee. SPP is a regional transmission organization that provides power to 17 states, including part of western Minnesota. The SPP Regional State Committee (RSC) provides input on matters of regional importance related to the development and operation of bulk electric transmission. The RSC is comprised of retail regulatory commissioners from agencies in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas.
“I am honored to serve as the next president during this exciting time in the energy industry. Regional transmission organizations like SPP will be leaned on heavily as we make the clean energy transition. I look forward to working with my fellow RSC commissioners, the SPP board members, staff, and stakeholders as SPP's regional role grows and evolves over the next year. I am confident that we will remain focused on ensuring that electricity is delivered reliably and affordably to the millions of people living in SPP's multistate service territory." - Commissioner Tuma
New position at PUC fills critical data role
Recently the Commission welcomed Dr. Wai Yan Siu, the agency’s first research analysis specialist. Wai Yan is responsible for data compilation, accessibility, and analysis of utility-reported and other relevant data to inform Commissioners and the public about key electric and gas regulation issues such as, utility service quality and performance, affordability, electric vehicles, and more.
Before joining the Commission, Wai Yan worked as a research associate at various universities and has a PhD in Economics from Utah State University.
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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Feb 1
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: Participant compensation requests for Xcel Energy’s electric rate increase; Reconsideration of decision on minor alternation to Great River Energy’s Cambridge 2 Peaking Plant
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Feb 1
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6 PM
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Public meeting (virtual): Environmental scoping and public information meeting for Xcel Energy's Minnesota Energy Connection Project, a new approximately 171- to 174-mile 345-kilovolt double-circuit transmission line between Sherburne and Lyon counties.
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Feb 6
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6 PM
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Draft Environmental Impact Statement public meeting: Summit Carbon Solutions Otter Tail to Wilkin County Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Project
Location: Breckenridge
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Feb 7
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1 PM
6 PM
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Draft Environmental Impact Statement public meeting: Summit Carbon Solutions Otter Tail to Wilkin County Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Project
Location: Fergus Falls
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Feb 8
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: Xcel Energy’s 2024-2040 Upper Midwest Integrated Resource Plan – OAH referral; Xcel Energy’s Low Income Low Usage Program report; Inquiry into electric and natural gas utilities in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cold Weather Rule reports and data
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Feb 8
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6 PM
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Draft Environmental Impact Statement public meeting: Summit Carbon Solutions Otter Tail to Wilkin County Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Project
Location: Virtual
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Feb 12
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1 PM
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Public hearing: Elk Creek Solar
Location: Luverne
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Feb 13
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6 PM
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Public hearing: Elk Creek Solar
Location: Virtual
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Feb 15
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: Rulemaking to amend pipeline definitions in Minnesota Rules, Chapter 7852; Xcel Energy for approval of its proposed Community Solar Garden Program – Applicable Retail Rate to Value of Solar rate proposal
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Feb 19
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Closed
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President’s Day – office closed
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Feb 20
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10 AM
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Planning meeting: Affordability programs
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Feb 22
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: Gas Integrated Resource Plans for Xcel, CenterPoint, MERC – Components and Scope
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Feb 25-27
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NARUC Winter Policy Summit
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Feb 29
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: CenterPoint Energy demand entitlements; CenterPoint Energy Purchased Gas Adjustment variance request; Otter Tail Power Electric Utility Infrastructure Cost rider; Otter Tail Power Transmission Cost Recovery rider
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Feb 29
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2:30 PM
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Tribal planning meeting: Siting of transmission lines in Minnesota
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Noteworthy decisions
Filings can be accessed using the docket number at: MN PUC eFiling Search
January 4
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The Commission heard comments from parties on Otter Tail Power’s integrated resource plan and late-filed available maximum emergency designation proposal and took no action. Staff will open a comment period to further develop the record, and plan to hear the matter again in March or April. (Docket 21-339)
January 18
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The Commission approved Xcel Energy’s requests to transfer $5.6 million from the Medical Affordability Program to the PowerON program, increase its PowerON budget to $14.5 million, and option to transfer funds from PowerON to the Low-Income Discount program if needed. (Docket 4-1956)
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The Commission referred the joint petition from Steele-Waseca regarding a service territory dispute with Xcel over service to a new large commercial customer to the Office of Administrative Hearings for a contested case proceeding. (Docket 23-516)
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The Commission accepted the fuel clause adjustment lessons learned reports from Otter Tail Power, Minnesota Power, and Xcel Energy. Additionally, the Commission approved reporting changes to improve efficiencies. (Docket 03-802)
January 25
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The Commission accepted Otter Tail Power’s plan to achieve future compliance, including the proposal the investment in up to fifteen company owned small solar projects. The Commission also granted Otter Tail’s request to defer compliance and implemented a reporting requirement on continued small scale solar compliance. (Docket 23-338)
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The Commission lifted the annual filing requirement for Xcel Energy’s Value of Solar (VOS) rate from the March 9, 2020, Order. (Docket 13-867)
Public meetings and hearings
Great River Energy Cedar Lake Transmission Line Reroute Project public hearings: On January 23-24, public hearings were held on the relocation of a 115 kV line located on the Brookings to Hampton HVTL to an area near New Prague to enable the use of the existing second circuit on a portion of the Brookings-Hampton line. The public had the opportunity to hear from Great River Energy, the PUC and Department of Commerce, as well as provide comment. Public comment is open until February 7. More information on how to comment and the project is available here.
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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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DOCKET OR FILING SUMMARY
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13-867
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Significant public comment from Community Solar Garden subscribers who would be impacted by transitioning from the Applicable Retail Rate to Value of Solar rate. Fresh Energy and Office of Attorney General offered alternative proposals. Legislators also filed letters.
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14-643, 07-1199
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The Federal Interagency Workgroup finalized their report on the Social Cost of GHG. PUC issued Notice confirming the values are the same as the draft report and no updates needed.
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15-137
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Enbridge filed the Exposed Pipeline Annual report. Since 2022, 30 new exposures were identified and 17 were removed predominantly due to existing exposures combining to create one larger exposure. The November 2020 Plan remains in effect and some segments of exposed pipe will be removed in 2024.
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23-212
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Xcel Energy filed three proposals as part of the competitive resource acquisition process for up to 800 MW of firm, dispatchable resources in 2027-2029: 1) Bison Generation Station (447 MW natural gas and hydrogen plant in ND; in service: 2028); 2) Lyon County Generation Station (420 MW natural gas and hydrogen plant adjacent to, and providing voltage support for, Terminal Substation of Minnesota Energy Connection; in service: Dec. 2027); and 3) Sherco West Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) (58 MW long-duration 48-hr BESS near Sherco West Solar, in service: Dec. 2028 (alternatively, 300 MW 4-hr lithium-ion battery at same site with Dec. 2027 in service).
Six other developers filed alternative proposals for PUC consideration: 1) Invenegy’s Lake Wilson Solar + storage (150 MW solar and up to 95 WM, 380 MWh BESS (170 MW firm, dispatchable; in service: Dec. 2027)) and Cannon Falls Thermal Energy Center (existing 357 gas peaker with fuel oil back up, extend current contract); 2) National Grid Renewables’ Plum Creek Wind + Storage (230 MW wind and 150 MW/600MWh battery in SW MN) and Harmony Solar + Storage (200 MW solar and 200 MW/800MWh battery in ND); 3) OnwardEnergy’s TRADE SECRET existing natural gas/liquid fuel/hydrogen PPA in MN; 4) Rondo Energy’s TRADE SECRET thermal heat battery at Sherco coal plant site; 5) DE Shaw Renewable Investments (DESRI) additional TRADE SECRET storage to an existing solar facility with PPA sales to Xcel in MN; and 5) NextEra Energy’s TRADE SECRET Solar + Storage; Wind + Storage; and Surplus Storage projects.
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23-335, 13-867
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Nokomis Energy filed a request for reconsideration on the Commission's Dec. 28, 2023, Order regarding whether a CSG must be located in Xcel’s service territory under the new program. Per Minn. Rules the Commission must act within 60 days of the filing, inaction means the petition is denied. US Solar, Coalition for Community Solar Access, and the Department of Commerce filed objections to Xcel’s compliance tariff. Xcel filed a letter noting further delay in launching the new CSG product in their application portal due to objections and looks forward to comment period.
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21-695, 13-867
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Xcel submitted a compliance filing on a solution they reached with the Department of Commerce’s Energy Development Office on billing system and tariff revisions necessary to allow In Care of – where a customer’s bill to be sent to a landlord or 3rd party re-biller while maintaining the account in the customer’s name. This allows the customer to view their account and remain eligible for affordability programs and CSG. There is no incremental billing system cost, but there are additional staff resources needed to establish and manage ($15,000) and implementable by March 1, 2024. Xcel is also modifying billing processing for PowerON customers to overlay the PowerON budget amount to replace the total amount due and does not require a full system change or IT replacement request. The In Care of solution can also be used for consolidated billing. The Company also highlights outstanding concerns with customer transparency & oversight, consumer protections, and transferred accounts with a past due balance. No PUC action is necessary for the Company to proceed.
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22-422
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EERA filed the Draft EIS for Otter Tail to Wilkin Carbon Dioxide Pipeline Project. Summit updated their service list contact.
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24-79
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Dakota Electric filed the annual update of monthly rates for Wellspring Renewable Energy, an optional renewable energy rider initially approved in 1997. “Dakota Electric is not proposing a change to the Monthly Renewable Energy Rates for wind energy and proposing a decrease of $1.25 from $2.00 to $0.75 for each 100-kWh block for solar energy in 2024.”
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21-135. 21-160
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Xcel Energy-Gas, CenterPoint Energy, Great Plains Natural Gas, and Minnesota Energy Resource Corporation all filed notice of daily spot market prices exceeding 5 times the January purchased gas adjustment costs and described actions taken to reduce costs to customers and additional costs incurred during the cold weather event (January 13-16, 2024).
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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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