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Minnesota hosting MARC 2024
Minnesota is hosting the Mid-America Regulatory Conference (MARC) 2024 Conference in Minneapolis June 9-12, 2024. Minnesota PUC Chair Katie Sieben is serving as the President of MARC this year. The theme of the conference is Cooperation and Innovation. If you are interested in attending or learning more, visit the MARC 2024 Conference website. You can also sign up for conference updates as the agenda, speakers and networking events are finalized.
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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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April 1
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11:30 AM
6 PM
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Public Hearings: 345 kV Brookings County to Lyon County and Helena to Hampton Second-Circuit Project
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April 2
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10 AM
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Planning Meeting: Distribution dockets overview
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April 4
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10 AM
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Agenda Meeting: Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation Renewable Natural Gas Interconnection Tariff; Xcel Energy’s Community Solar Garden Program legislative changes
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April 4
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6 PM
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Public Hearing (virtual): 345 kV Brookings County to Lyon County and Helena to Hampton Second-Circuit Project
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April 5
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10 AM
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MISO quarterly update
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April 5
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11 AM
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Special Planning Meeting: Interregional transfer capacity
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April 11
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10 AM
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Agenda Meeting: Dakota Electric MN DIP Tariff – MNSEIA complaint on TSM; QLink ETC designation; Xcel Energy True Up and nuclear refunds
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April 18
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10 AM
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Agenda Meeting: MN Solar Advocates reconsideration; Ratemaking for early retirement of generation; Prairie Island Independent Spent Fuel Storage Installation – Application Completeness
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April 23
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6 PM
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Public Hearing: Magellan Pipeline Pipestone Reroute Project in Pipestone County
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April 24
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9:30 AM
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Evidentiary Hearing: Magellan Pipeline Pipestone Reroute Project
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April 24
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6 PM
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Public Hearing (virtual): Magellan Pipeline Pipestone Reroute Project
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April 25
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10 AM
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Agenda Meeting: Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation GUIC rider
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Commission decisions
March 7
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The Commission accepted Great River Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan. GRE was required to file an interim update on solar resources, EV adoption, and new carbon price modeling in 2025, and to file its next IRP on April 1, 2026, with additional engagement and filing requirements. (Docket 22-75) News release
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The Commission approved CenterPoint Energy’s request to renew the variance of purchased gas adjustment rules to allow financial hedging for an additional four years. (Docket 23-360)
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The Commission denied Nokomis Energy’s petition to reconsider the December 28 Order on legislative changes to the Community Solar Garden program. (Docket 23-335)
March 14
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The Commission granted Xcel Energy a variance to MNDIP to establish two interconnection queues, one of which prioritizes (“fast tracks”) small DER projects under 40kW. This implements 2023 legislation requiring the Commission to consider this matter. (Docket 16-521)
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The Commission considered details of the Carbon-Free Standard enacted by the Legislature in 2023 around reporting obligations for municipal power agencies. The Commission determined that due to the clear language of the statute, one agency is not considered an “electric utility” and the Commission recommended statute clarification by the Legislature. (Docket 23-151)
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The Commission approved Dakota Electric Association’s Battery Energy Storage System tariff pilot that provides a discounted residential and small commercial rate for projects that give battery operation control to the Dakota Electric for certain events throughout the year. The Commission also approved reporting requirements after two years of the pilot. (Docket 23-495)
March 21
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The Commission approved the 150-MW Lake Wilson Solar and associated battery storage project in Murray County. This is the first solar plus storage project permitted in Minnesota. (Docket 21-791) News release
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The Commission accepted some of the bids as complete for Xcel Energy’s Competitive Resource Acquisition Process for up to 800 Megawatts of Firm Dispatchable Generation, and directed the Department of Commerce to continue to review other bids which were incomplete and to work with bidders to submit missing information. The Commission also referred the matter to the Office of Administrative Hearings for contested case proceedings. (Docket 23-212)
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The Commission approved Otter Tail Power’s 2024 recoveries through its Transmission Cost Recovery Rider. (Docket 23-152)
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The Commission denied Xcel Energy’s request for reconsideration of its January 25, 2024, Order on electric rate increase. (Docket 21-630)
March 28
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The Commission approved several proposals from Xcel Energy for new and existing electric vehicle (EV) pilots and programs. The approved initiatives include an EV subscription service, an EV School Bus vehicle-to-grid demonstration, bridge funding for fleet services and public charging pilots, and an expansion of residential advisory services. (Docket 23-452) News release
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The Commission created a Participant Compensation Subcommittee to assist the Commission in implementing the participant compensation statute (Minn. Stat. § 216B.631), which allows eligible nonprofits and Tribal governments to be compensated for their participation in certain Commission dockets. The subcommittee process will allow the Commission to resolve participant compensation requests more efficiently and promptly. Commissioner Sullivan was appointed to chair the subcommittee.
Public meetings and hearings
HVDC modernization project in Solway Township - On March 13, the Office of Administrative Hearings administered two public hearings, one in-person and one virtually regarding Minnesota Power’s HVDC Modernization Project. The written comment period runs through March 28. More information on how to comment and the project is available here.
Magellan Pipeline Reroute project - On March 19 –20, the Minnesota Department of Commerce held two in-person and one virtual public information meeting regarding the Magellan Pipeline Reroute project near Pipestone. The Department received several comments regarding its draft comparative environmental analysis. The written comment period runs through April 9. 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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24-101
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Great Plains Natural Gas, MERC, Greater MN Gas, CenterPoint, Xcel (gas and electric), Minnesota Power, Otter Tail Power filed utility diversity reporting.
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23-414, 23-415
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Iron Pine Solar Power filed notice of intent to submit a joint application for a site and route permit for an up to 325 MW solar project and new 230kV HVTL in Pine County under the alternative process in Spring 2024.
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20-432
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ALJ report filed and recommends the Commission: find CenturyLink is failing to provide adequate service, require CenturyLink review and rehab all outside plant and equipment that serves certain customers and file quarterly progress reports, require certain repairs, and prohibit CenturyLink from sidelining maintenance projects for mere failure to satisfy its 5-year payback requirement, find CenturyLink is violating rules to fail to restore 95% of service outages within 24 hours and reduce repair appointment windows from 8 to 4 hours, and consider whether CenturyLink’s violation of rule is knowing and intentional and subject to civil penalties of up to $5000 per day of violation.
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22-214
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Otter Tail Power filed its 2023 true-up of energy adjustment rates. “Based on forecasted sales from January through August 2024, Otter Tail estimates the net over recovery balance to be $5,201,983 as of August 31, 2024. Otter Tail proposes to return the 2023 over-recovery balance over a twelve-month period of September 1, 2024, through August 31, 2025…”
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22-179
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Xcel filed their annual fuel clause adjustment true up and compliance report for 2023 fuel cost charges noting over-collected fuel costs of $126 million and a proposal to refund these funds between April – December 2024 via the monthly fuel cost charge. This is in addition to the $5m/mo already being refunded Jan-August 2024.
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22-216
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Minnesota Power filed their fuel clause adjustment annual true up and compliance report for 2023. MP proposes a 2023 true-up refund of ~$10.5m over 12 months.
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24-106
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Gopher State Solar filed a notice of intent to file a site permit for up to 200 MW solar project in Renville County under alternative permitting procedures (Minn. R. 7850-2800-.3900) in April 2024.
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23-383
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Department recommends additional, annual compliance reporting for Q Link Wireless’s Eligible Telecommunication Carrier designation; including existing affiliates and relationships; all criminal and civil actions against in any state or federal; all criminal and civil actions against Q Link’s owners and/or officers.
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21-694
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Xcel filed a revised Resilient Minneapolis Project proposal and notes “Most notably, one of the microgrids will now be built, owned and operated by Renewable Energy Partners (REP) rather than by the Xcel, with Xcel providing support through a federal grid resilience award. In addition, we propose actions not included in our 2021 proposal related to community benefit agreements, community engagement, and training.” Xcel states this proposal has the support of Xcel, City of Minneapolis, and all 3 site hosts (Sabathani Community Center, Minneapolis American Indian Center, Renewable Energy Partners).
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22-451
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Enbridge Solar (Plummer) filed a notice of intent to submit a site permit application for up to 130 MW solar in Red Lake County under alternative permitting procedures in late Q1 or early Q2 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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