Commissioner Sullivan reappointed to the Commission
Commissioner Joseph Sullivan was reappointed by Governor Walz to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission for a second six-year term. Sullivan was first appointed to the Commission in April 2020 and has served as Vice Chair since May 2020. We’re grateful for his continued leadership, steady judgment, and commitment to public service. Additional information on the PUC and commissioner appointments can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.
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New consumer resource: Spot the Signs – Avoid utility scams
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has launched a new “Spot the Signs” webpage to help consumers protect themselves from utility-related scams. The page walks through how to recognize legitimate utility workers, what a real service visit usually looks like, and when to pause and double-check before opening the door or sharing information. It also highlights common phone scams and reminds consumers that the PUC never asks for payments, personal information, or offers bill discounts. A few simple steps can help keep your home and personal information safe. Learn more on our website.
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Commission calendar and upcoming events
The information below is subject to change. Current information and more details are available on the PUC’s calendar.
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Feb. 2
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5:30 PM
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Public hearing: Otto Tap 115 kV Transmission Line Project (New York Mills)
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Feb. 3
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10 AM
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Planning Meeting: Grid Enhancing Technologies
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Feb. 3
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12 PM
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Public hearing: Otto Tap 115 kV Transmission Line Project (Virtual)
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Feb. 5
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10 AM
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Agenda Meeting
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CenterPoint Energy’s 2024 Energy Conservation and Optimization Status Report, Demand Side Management Financial Incentive, ECO Tracker Report, and 2025/2026 Conservation Cost Recovery Adjustments – Reconsideration request (Docket 25-43)
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Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation change in contract demand entitlements for NNG System. (Docket 25-68, 69)
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Xcel Energy’s change in contract demand entitlements (Docket 25-67)
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Greater Minnesota Gas, Inc.’s change in contract demand entitlements (Docket 25-70)
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Great Plains Natural Gas Co.’s change in contract demand entitlements (Docket 25-71)
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CenterPoint Energy’s change in contract demand entitlements (Docket 25-72)
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Xcel Energy’s certificate of need and route permit for the Mankato - Mississippi 345 kV transmission line project (Docket 22-532, 23-157)
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Feb. 10
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6 PM
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Public meeting: Iron Range-St. Louis County Arrowhead 345 kV transmission project (Hermantown)
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Feb. 11
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12 PM
6 PM
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Public meeting: Iron Range-St. Louis County Arrowhead 345 kV transmission project
12 PM: Floodwood, 6 PM: Grand Rapids
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Feb. 12
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6 PM
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Public meeting: Iron Range-St. Louis County Arrowhead 345 kV transmission project (Virtual)
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Feb. 12
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10 AM
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Agenda Meeting
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Greater Minnesota Gas, Inc. natural gas utility service rate increase – reconsideration request (Docket 24-350)
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Xcel Energy’s 2025 annual administrative service agreement (Docket 25-245)
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Big Bend Wind, LLC large wind energy conversion system site permit for the up to 300 MW wind project in Cottonwood and Watonwan Counties (Docket 19-619)
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Feb. 19
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10 AM
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Agenda Meeting
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Reconsideration of ALLETE’s acquisition by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Global Infrastructure Partners (Docket 24-198)
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Greater Minnesota Gas’s proposed conservation rider rate change (Docket 25-405)
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Xcel Energy’s 2023 annual review of transmission, distribution, and general depreciation certification (Docket 23-356)
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Rulemaking petition Minn. R Ch 7825 (Docket 26-81)
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2024 annual safety, reliability, and service quality report for Xcel Energy, Minnesota Power and Otter Tail Power (Docket 25-27, 29, 30)
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Feb. 24
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10 AM
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Planning Meeting – Residential Customer Status
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Feb. 24
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6 PM
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Public hearing: Lake Charlotte Solar 150 MW solar facility and battery energy storage system (BESS) in Martin County (Virtual)
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Feb. 25
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6 PM
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Public hearing: Lake Charlotte Solar 150 MW solar facility and battery energy storage system (BESS) in Martin County (Fairmont)
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Feb. 26
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10 AM
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Agenda Meeting
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Great River Energy’s route permit for the Laketown 115-kV transmission line in Carver County (Docket 24-132)
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Xcel Energy’s solar and storage portfolio (Docket 24-230)
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Establishing tariffs for distribution system cost sharing for interconnection in constrained areas (Docket 24-288)
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Castle Rock Solar Project site permit for the up to 150 MW solar facility in Dakota County (Docket 24-267)
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Minnesota Power’s investment in the Longspur Wind Project for recovery through renewable resources (Docket 25-309)
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Commission decisions
January 8
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The Commission accepted the Telephone Assistance Plan (TAP) fund review for the six-month period ending June 30, 2025. The Commission also reduced the TAP Surcharge from its current level of $0.03 per line per month to $0.00, maintained the TAP credit at its current level of $10 per month and required each TAP provider to make a compliance filing by May 1, 2026, identifying the amount that they could increase the TAP subsidy. (Docket 25-355)
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The Commission approved Greater Minnesota Gas, Inc.’s 5-year depreciation certificate. (Docket 25-306)
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The Commission approved Otter Tail Power Company’s annual update to its Electric Utility Infrastructure Cost (EUIC) recovery rider. (Docket 25-199)
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The Commission approved annual reporting metrics for Xcel Energy's new residential time of use rate, which rolls out in Q2 2026 and will be available to new enrollees in 2027. The Commission also required Xcel to simplify enrollment for eligible electric space heating customers by allowing enrollment through heat pump rebate applications and an online self-service process, with draft tariff language due within 30 days as to how these novel enrollment strategies will function. (Docket 23-524)
January 15
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The Commission approved a Fuel Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) framework to guide utility compliance with the state’s Carbon-Free Standard (CFS). The decision establishes the CFS is an integral part of Minnesota’s economy-wide greenhouse gas reduction goals, ensuring that utility compliance results in meaningful and sustained emissions reductions. (Docket 24-352) Press release.
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The Commission approved a site permit for Minnesota Power's Boswell Solar Project, an up-to-85-megawatt (MW) solar facility in Itasca County. The Commission also granted a route permit for the associated 2.45-mile, 230-kilovolt transmission line that will connect the project to the existing Boswell Energy Center Substation. (Docket 24-425,426)
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The Commission approved Minnesota Power’s request to modify its service extension tariff. (Docket 12-1359)
January 21
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The Commission approved Minnesota Power’s petition for 2025 Remaining Life Depreciation. (Docket 25-342)
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The Commission approved the establishment of greenhouse gas (GHG) regulatory cost values for upcoming natural gas Integrated Resource Plans. To analyze the impact of potential future regulatory costs on resource portfolios, the Commission ordered the gas utilities (Xcel, CPE, and MERC) to include the following sensitivities in their filings: A baseline scenario assuming no future GHG regulation, analysis of a scenario where both upstream and distribution system methane emissions are regulated, and an “all-in” scenario featuring a comprehensive suite of regulations for both methane and carbon dioxide across the entire gas system. (Docket 23-117, 07-1199)
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The Commission approved a route permit and certificate of need for the 29 mile 115-kV Appleton to Benson Transmission Line. (Docket 24-263, -264)
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The Commission approved Xcel Energy’s petition for the following Power Purchase Agreements for Firm Dispatchable Resources: 1) Invenergy Cannon Falls Energy Center, 2) Onward Mankato Energy Center 1, 3) Onward Mankato Energy Center BESS, and 4) DESRI North Star Energy. The Commission also authorized Xcel to recover, through the Fuel Clause Rider, the Minnesota jurisdictional portion of prudent costs incurred under the agreements from Minnesota retail customers. As part of the matter, the Commission considered a request from Invenergy to require Xcel to resume negotiations with Invenergy for the Lake Wilson Solar Energy Center. The Commission did not grant Invenergy’s request. (Docket 23-212, 24-67)
January 29
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The Commission approved Otter Tail Power Company's Electric Vehicle Credit Rider (EVCR) program. This offers EV customers another option to participate in Otter Tail’s demand control programs by forgoing the installation of a second service meter and instead allowing Otter Tail to dynamically manage their charging load, in exchange for a monthly bill credit. (Docket 23-380)
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The Commission approved the permit amendment request by Xcel Energy to modify a 2.5-mile portion of the Minnesota Energy Connection transmission line route in Redwood County, to accommodate landowner requests. (Docket 22-132)
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The Commission approved Xcel Energy’s request to keep the application fee for Low- and Moderate-Income Accessible (LMI) Community Solar Gardens at $4125 per megawatt and to increase the participation fee from $500 to $725 per megawatt for Legacy and LMI Community Solar Gardens. Also approved was Xcel’s request to update the participation fee on at least a biennial basis. (Docket 23-335, 13-867)
Recaps of Commission public meetings and hearings
Planning meeting
Planning meeting on winter readiness: On January 20, the Commissioners heard from the Midwest Reliability Organization on winter reliability and received presentations from CenterPoint Energy and Xcel Energy. The meeting also included a preview of Xcel's upcoming gas integrated resource plan and an overview of NARUC's gas resource planning roadmap. A recording of the meeting is on our website.
Project meetings
Blue Lake Battery Energy Storage Project: On January 6-7 the PUC held a public hearing and took comment on Xcel Energy’s application for a site permit to construct and operate a battery energy storage system with a nominal power rating of up to 135.5 MW alternating current with approximately 542 MWh of energy capacity on a site of approximately 70 acres in the City of Shakopee. The proposed site is on land currently owned by Xcel Energy.
Big Bend Wind and Great River Energy Transmission Line: On January 13-14, the PUC held public information and scoping meetings for Big Bend Wind and Great River Energy’s (GRE) route permit for a high voltage transmission line in Martin County. The applicants propose to construct a new 4.5-mile 161 kV single-circuit transmission line and associated facilities, including new substations, to connect the Big Bend Wind Project to GRE’s Lakefield Generating Substation.
Sherco South and West Battery Energy Storage Project: On January 13-14, the Commission held public information and scoping meetings for a site permit for the Sherco South and West Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Becker. Xcel Energy proposes to construct and operate a BESS with a nominal power rating of up to 600 MW alternating current with approximately 2,400 MWh of energy capacity. The site is on land owned by Xcel and consists of approximately 62 acres adjacent to the Sherburne County Generating Station.
Lyon County Generating Station: On January 26-27, the PUC held public hearings on the applications of Xcel Energy for a certificate of need, site permit, transmission line route permit, and pipeline routing permit for the Lyon County Generating Station. The project includes two 210 MW combustion turbines, two 345 kV transmission lines, and a natural gas pipeline in Lyon County. Public comment open through February 11.
Notable new dockets or filings
This is not a comprehensive summary of filings.
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Docket
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Filing or Docket Summary
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25-127, 24-198
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Minnesota Power filed its Clean Firm Plan Pathway 4: Minimize Gas in the IRP as the lowest cost profile that met reliability and Carbon Free Standard and uses existing infrastructure and concludes: “Minnesota Power’s system will require approximately 750 MW of additional dispatchable resources to meet an expected winter peak demand of 1,650 MW to meet its cease coal date at Boswell Unit 4 in 2035. In order for Minnesota Power to meet its cease coal dates in 2030 and 2035, the Company needs certainty in 2026 on energy and capacity resources to replace coal generation on its system by 2030 and 2035… The recent value of the [Boswell] interconnection ranges from $85 to $300 million based network upgrade cost assigned to projects located in northwest MISO.”
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25-142
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Several stakeholders filed comments regarding Xcel Energy’s Transportation Electrification Plan (TEP). While most parties recommended approval, they proposed specific modifications and requests for additional information. The Department of Commerce and OAG are currently withholding specific recommendations pending additional data on equitable outcomes, program enrollment, and cost recovery for "charging perks" and infrastructure rebates. In the concurrent ECO docket (23-92), Xcel has requested two additional programs: a Residential Advisory Services Program and a Commercial charging infrastructure program.
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25-219
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Upper Sioux formal complaint against MN Valley: Summary of direct testimony was filed by Wolf River Electric CEO (2.6 MW solar and battery is designed as zero export) and Upper Sioux Community General Counsel (Casino would be harmed if disconnected, [distributed energy resource] DER is zero export and not net metering and requests “ALJ find Minnesota Valley’s service standards and practices as it relates to behind-the-meter systems unreasonable and unjustly discriminatory and prohibit Minnesota Valley from disconnecting power to the Casino due to the operation of the solar array.”)
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21-135 et al
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MERC filed a pricing event notification noting “Natural gas prices for gas day January 23, 2026, spiked over five times the average price of gas in the utility’s filed purchased-gas adjustment (“PGA”) for January 2026 Consolidated System PGA cost. MERC purchased daily gas at the Viking Chisago location, which has pricing based off the Northern Natural Gas Ventura hub.” Great Plains Natural Gas filed a similar update. CenterPoint filed a similar update stating “On January 22, 2026, CenterPoint Energy purchased daily market gas at a price of $70.94 from the Northern Natural Gas Ventura hub to supply gas to the Company’s system on January 23, 2026. This daily price is above five times the January 2026 monthly PGA, which was set at $4.7022, and results in a five times figure of $23.51.” Xcel filed information as well. All utilities will file their 14-day additional information.
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25-116
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Bison to Alexandria Second Circuit 345 kV Transmission Line: Applicants (multiple) filed a CN application for the project. The second circuit would be strung on existing CapX 2020 structures. Applicants also made a compliance filing, demonstrating compliance with their CN notice plan.
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25-126
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Lemon Hill: PUC-EIP filed the scoping decision for the environmental assessment that will be prepared for the proposed Lemon Hill Solar Project in Olmsted County.
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25-117
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PowerOn Midwest provide their status update, indicating they will file a joint Certificate of Need Application for the Project on or before February 7, 2026. The utilities anticipate filing route permit applications for each project route beginning in early 2027 and will update the Commission as they know more about the filing dates for the individual route permit applications. As identified by MISO, the in-service timing for Project Nos. 22, 23, and 24 is 2034; Project No. 25 is 2032.
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26-86
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Dakota Electric filed its annual update to the Wellspring Renewable Energy, optional renewable energy rider noting “Dakota Electric is proposing no change for each 100-kWh block of wind energy in 2026 and a decrease from $0.75 to $0.60 for each 100-kWh block of solar energy in 2026.”
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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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