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Commissioner Sullivan elected Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Organization of MISO States
Recently, Commissioner Joseph Sullivan was elected Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Organization of MISO States (OMS). The OMS consists of 17 members across 15 states and the province of Manitoba and represents the collective interests of state and local utility regulators in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator region. Members collaborate to share information and resources, debate, and exchange ideas on policy issues, and communicate their viewpoints. As OMS Vice President, Commissioner Sullivan serves on the MISO Board of Directors Nominating Committee, and as the lead representative for the state regulatory sector.
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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March 7
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: CenterPoint Energy variance; Great River Energy Integrated Resource Plan; Non-legacy Community Solar Garden reconsideration of service territory requirement
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March 12
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10 AM
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Planning meeting: Utility rates and affordability
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March 13
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12 PM
6 PM
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Public hearing: Minnesota Power’s combined application for a certificate of need and a high-voltage transmission line route permit for the MP HVDC Modernization Project
12 PM: virtual
6 PM: Cloquet, MN
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March 14
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: Dakota Electric’s Residential and Small General Service Behind-the-Meter Battery Storage Program and Tariff; Carbon Free Standard investigation; Legislative request to consider Small DER Prioritization changes to the Minnesota Distributed Energy Resources Interconnection Process
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March 21
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: Lake Wilson Solar CN and site permit; Otter Tail Power TCR rider; Xcel 800 MW competitive resource acquisition
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March 26
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10 AM
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Planning meeting: Grid data sharing and security
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March 28
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10 AM
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Agenda meeting: Xcel Energy Transportation Electrification Plan; Minnesota Energy Connection route alternatives; Community Solar Garden Program legislative implementation – objections to Xcel’s tariff
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Noteworthy decisions
February 1
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The Commission granted the Energy CENTS Coalition’s compensation request for costs it incurred participating in Xcel Energy’s electric rate case. Additionally, the Commission granted a reduced amount to Community Power and Minnesota Interfaith Power & Light for their participation in the rate case as part of the Just Solar Coalition. (Docket 21-630)
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The Commission denied CURE, MCEA, and Sierra Club’s petition for reconsideration of the Commission’s December 7, 2023, Order approving minor alteration application for Great River Energy’s Cambridge 2 Peaking Plant. (Docket 22-122)
February 8
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The Commission required additional reporting on remote disconnections and made changes to other reporting requirements in the PR-YR-2 dockets (e.g. 24-2 for year 2024). The Commission will also open regular comment periods on residential customer status data each March and September, before and after the Cold Weather Rule period. (Docket 20-375)
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The Commission accepted Xcel’s compliance filing on the Company’s Low Income Low Usage Program approved in the 2021 rate case. (Docket 23-476)
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The Commission referred Xcel’s 2024-2040 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) to the Office of Administrative Hearings to hold public meetings and ordered Xcel to work with Commission staff on a notice to customers about the IRP’s content and opportunities to provide comment. The Commission also plans to hear the IRP by February 1, 2025. (Docket 24-67)
February 15
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The Commission moved all applicable retail rate (ARR)-era community solar gardens to the 2017 value of solar (VOS) rate schedule starting April 1, 2025. Large general service subscribers will receive a $0.01/kWh adder to the VOS rate from April 1-Dec 31, 2025. Residential and small general service subscribers will receive a $0.03/kWh adder to the VOS rate starting April 1, 2025. (Docket 13-867). News release
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The Commission approved the draft amendments to revise the Minnesota Rule pipeline definitions of “gas” and “hazardous liquid” to become consistent with Minnesota Statute. (Docket 23-364)
February 22
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The Commission established the foundations of natural gas utility integrated resource planning (IRP) in Minnesota for Xcel, CenterPoint, and MERC, including objectives, scope, evaluation criteria, modeling, and analysis expectations, and filing cadences. The Commission will open a second comment period to add details to this decision and meet again in August 2024 to finalize gas IRP plans moving forward. (Docket 23-117). News release
February 29
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The Commission approved Otter Tail Power’s EUIC Rider. (Docket 23-131)
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The Commission approved CenterPoint Energy’s Petition to implement demand cost changes effective February 1, 2021; and to increase its per-unit demand costs to recover the costs of additional entitlements through a Capacity Release. (Docket 21-102)
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The Commission approved CenterPoint Energy’s Petition to change its contract demand units based on the proposed design-day estimate and level of demand entitlement, including the additional capacity requested in docket 21-102. Additionally, the Commission approved their proposal to recover the associated costs for the July 2021 – October 2021 period and the November 2021-October 2022 period through the monthly Purchased Gas Adjustments. (Docket 21-523)
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The Commission accepted the environmental assessment scope for the Northland Reliability Project proposed by the Department of Commerce with a few adjustments that addressed routes filed late in the scoping process. The environmental assessment is anticipated to be released on June 28, 2024. (Docket 22-415)
Public meetings and hearings
Minnesota Energy Connection public meetings: Between January 24 and February 1, 2024, the Public Utilities Commission and the Department of Commerce held eight public information and environmental impact statement scoping meetings on the applications of Xcel Energy for a certificate of need and a route permit for the Minnesota Energy Connection Project, a new approximately 171- to 174-mile 345-kilovolt double-circuit transmission line between Sherburne and Lyon counties. The meetings provided information about the proposed project and the state’s high-voltage transmission line certificate of need and route permitting processes and provided an opportunity to ask questions and provide comments.
Summit Carbon Solutions Pipeline Project public meetings: On February 6-8, the Minnesota Department of Commerce held three meetings on the draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the routing permit application submitted by Summit Carbon Solutions. The project is a carbon dioxide in Otter Tail and Wilkin Counties. The final EIS will be available on or before April 30, 2024.
Elk Creek Solar Project public hearings: On February 12-13, the Office of Administrative Hearings, Department of Commerce, and the Public Utilities Commission held two public hearings for the Elk Creek Solar project on their request to amend their site permit to expand the project from 80 megawatts to 160 megawatts and increase the project area from 976 acres to 1,522 acres in Rock County.
Pilot Knob to Burnsville Rebuild and Upgrade Project public meetings: On December 12-14, the Department of Commerce and PUC held two public information and environmental assessment scoping meetings on the application of Great River Energy for a route permit for the Pilot Knob to Burnsville Rebuild and Upgrade Project. Approximately 8.75 miles long, the proposed 115 kV line will generally follow the existing transmission line right‐of‐way about the proposed project, the transmission line route permitting processes, and provided opportunity to give public comment. Public comment is open until March 6, 2024.
Timberwolf Solar Project public meetings: On February 20-21, the Department of Commerce and PUC held Public Information and Environmental Assessment Scoping meetings for the Timberwolf Solar, LLC site permit application for an up to 100MW solar project in Mower County, Minnesota. Public comment is open until March 6, 2024.
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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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24-68
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Xcel filed a certificate of need for additional dry cask storage at the Prairie Island nuclear facility to allow for continued operations through 2053/2054 as proposed in the Company’s IRP (24-67). Prairie Island is expected to exhaust current spent nuclear fuel storage capacity in 2033. Xcel intends to apply for a Subsequent License Renewal with the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2026.
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24-67
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Xcel filed its 2024-2040 Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) charting a path towards 100% carbon-free by 2040 (current energy mix is 63% carbon-free). Xcel’s preferred plan includes 1) extending the life of the Prairie Island and Monticello nuclear plants, 2) adding 10,000 MW of renewables and 2,100 MW of storage, 3) implementing 6,000 MW of efficiency, demand response, and DG solar, and 4) firm dispatchable resources necessary to ensure reliability and renewable integration.
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23-458
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Xcel filed reply comments summarizing the Company’s proposal to construct six DER upgrade projects, allowing over 85MW of available capacity or over 2,000 small new DER system in six capacity constrained areas.
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24-101
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The Department of Commerce opened Docket No. EG999/PR-24-101 for utility filing diversity annual reporting pursuant to 2023 legislation. Utility reporting is due March 15.
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21-630
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Xcel Large Industrials filed a reconsideration petition on the Commission’s Jan 25, 2024, Order approving Compliance Filing and Adopting Methodology.
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23-159, 22-538
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EERA issued the EA Scoping Decision for Xcel’s CN and Route Permit for Alexandria to Big Oaks and anticipates the EA being available in May 2024.
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24-26
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Xcel filed a supplement to Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Information Request on Monticello Nuclear Facility Subsequent License Renewal Application that addresses Historic and Cultural Resources and Water Resources. Xcel is coordinated with MN State Historic Preservation Organization, NRC, Tribal Historical Preservation Organization, and Mille Lacs Band and completed a cultural resources study on Jan 30, 2024, and identified no cultural or historical artifacts during site walkover but areas outside the plant area have high potential for unrecorded archaeological resources due to proximity to Mississippi River. Xcel also committed to incorporate 3 recommendations into site procedures: 1) notify/invite Band to observe ground disturbing activities; 2) survey for eastern red cedar (12,000 identified on the site); and 3) northern wild rice follow up site visit with Band in 2024.
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23-212
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The Department filed comments recommending the Commission declare the 13 resource proposals for Xcel’s 800 MW firm, dispatchable RFP complete upon submission of additional data and then offered 6 proposers specific lists of missing data. The Department is not requesting a contested case and recommends Xcel analyze bids deemed complete and then parties reply to that evaluation and asked Xcel to state how much time would be needed to complete this evaluation. Xcel filed comments discussing how they would treat each proposal in evaluation, not opposed to alternative to contested case as long as resolved by December 2024, and agreeing to provide updated timeframe for evaluation in reply comments.
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24-9
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PUC issued a notice approving the annual updates to the small power production and cogeneration tariff rates for net metered DER customers.
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22-422
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Regarding the Summit Carbon Solutions Pipeline’s Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), City of Lamberton filed comments with concerns about impacts on Emergency Medical Services personnel, water supply, and local recreation spaces. MPCA reviewed the EAW and has no comments at this time. Public comments from Midwest Ag Future Members in support. LIUNA commented on the EIS adequacy finding it generally accurate and recommending addressing local worker opportunities. IUOE Local 49 finds EIS adequate. Legalectric filed comments raising issues with construction, storage and laydown yards, noise standards, increased use of coal electricity, socioeconomic harms and increased cost of insurance, leaks and ruptures, and cost/benefit analysis; and offered special condition edits to the permit. DNR filed comments with a list of specific recommendations on the EIS. MCEA filed comments arguing the EIS is inadequate and identifying additional issues that should be addressed with 4 attachments.
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15-137
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Enbridge filed its Tribal Economic Opportunity and Labor Education Plan – Project End Report (12/31/23). Enbridge states they provided $445 million in economic opportunity to tribal nations, communities, and contractors and 1,037 tribal members worked over 896,000 hours replacing Line 3.
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23-403
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Initial comments filed on implementation of the Distributed Solar Energy Standard (DSES) requesting clarification on treatment of hybrid technologies (e.g. solar + storage), treatment of Community Solar Gardens in DSES, improvements to utilities’ competitive resource acquisition, and how DSES interacts with Renewable Energy Standard and Solar Energy Standard obligations.
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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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