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Lifeline Awareness Week: Connecting Minnesotans to essential resources 

September 13-19, 2026, marks Digital Connectivity and Lifeline Awareness Week, a time to highlight the vital role that affordable communication services play in people’s lives. While more than 79,500 Minnesotans are enrolled in the federal Lifeline program, an estimated 561,000 are eligible, meaning hundreds of thousands could still benefit from discounted phone or internet service. The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is committed to closing this gap and ensuring residents have the tools they need to stay connected. Lifeline helps bridge the digital divide by making it easier for low-income consumers to search for jobs, access healthcare, connect with loved ones, and call for help in an emergency. Learn more at www.lifelinesupport.org.

We are hiring! Looking for a rewarding career that makes a difference? The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is hiring! Join our team and help shape the future of energy and utility regulation in Minnesota. Explore open positions on our website and apply today!

Commission calendar and upcoming events

The information below is subject to change. Current information and more details are available on the PUC’s calendar.

Commission decisions  

August 6

• The Commission denied the Department of Commerce’s request asking Xcel Energy to address customer-owned thermal batteries through permanent rate design within 90 days noting that Xcel is already evaluating thermal storage and load flexibility through other Commission-approved pathways. The Commission recognized that thermal heat battery technology is still emerging, and the Commission concluded that the risk of designing a generic tariff without a clear customer base—including the possibility that untested assumptions about customer behavior, system performance, and grid value would become embedded into permanent rate structures—outweighs the potential benefits presented on this record. (Docket 23-212)

• The Commission permitted the 200 MW Summit Lake Solar and 200 MW BESS project in Nobles County. In permitting the project, the Commission imposed special permit conditions to help mitigate its impact on local communities. The applicants anticipated that construction would begin as early as the first quarter of 2027.

• The Commission determined that an addendum to the applicant prepared Environmental Assessment is not required for the for the 1.2-mile North Rochester to Skyway High Voltage Transmission Line project in Goodhue County and issued a draft route permit with special permit conditions. The Commission also determined that an extension to the six-month statutory deadline is not necessary and requested that an Administrative Law Judge from the Court of Administrative Hearings conduct public hearings for the project and prepare a summary of public testimony. (Docket 26-135)

August 13

• The Commission approved Xcel Energy’s petition to modify tariff language regarding its residential electric Time of Use rate. The changes to the tariff language set terms for when customers can opt in and out of the rate. The Commission also reaffirmed its commitment to online self-enrollment for customers in Xcel’s electric space heating rate, which will once again be available for customers whose primary heat source is electricity beginning October 1. To ensure that Xcel is sharing information about heat pumps and the electric space heating rate with its contractors, serving the broader goal of installing more heat pumps for Xcel customers, the Commission required Xcel to include in its first annual program evaluation filing, a summary of heat-pump related contractor training events and curriculum. (Docket 23-524)

• The Commission approved Xcel Energy’s acquisition of the Box Car and Little Rock wind projects, two wind farms in southwestern Minnesota totaling about 1,200 MW. Xcel will file Site and Route Permit applications for each project. Xcel must also submit a report identifying the final interconnection point for the Little Rock project once studies are complete. (Docket 23-342)

• The Commission required Heartland Corn Products (HCP) to file an Emergency Response Plan by September 1, 2026, and authorized the Executive Secretary to accept HCP’s petition for construction completion certification for its Natural Gas Pipeline Project if no objections are filed within 30 days. (Docket 23-43)

August 20

• The Commission decided that an addendum to the Environmental Assessment is not required for the 80 MW Cottage Grove Battery Energy Storage Project; issued the draft site permit prepared by Commission staff, including the proposed special permit conditions, for further review; and requested the Executive Secretary to designate a member of the Commission’s senior staff to conduct public hearings for the project and prepare a summary of public testimony. (Docket 26-184)

• The Commission considered and declined the World Organization of Landowner Freedom’s (WOLF) request to refer the certificate of need application for the Iron Range to St. Louis County to Arrowhead (ISA) 345 kV Transmission Line Project to the Court of Administrative Hearings for contested case proceedings. (Docket 25-111)

• The Commission approved the 2025 reports on electric generation self-scheduling and merged the 2026 and future reporting with the March 1 Fuel forecast true-up filings. (Docket 19-704)

• The Commission accepted with modifications the Administrative Law Judge's Report on the City of Slayton's acquisition of Xcel Energy electric service territory. Modifications addressed compensation parameters consistent with statutory obligations and requires filing of any necessary engineering studies for a review of costs and prudency.(Docket 25-129)

• The Commission accepted the Distributed Generation Working Group (DGWG) technical subgroup’s recommended changes to the statewide distributed energy resources interconnection standards (MN DIP and TIIR) regarding battery energy storage systems and limited/non-export DER systems. The Commission also directed the DGWG to explore creating an addendum to the uniform statewide contract that addresses the details involved in using export capacity and export limiting equipment—requiring the utilities to send a draft to Commission Staff 60 days following the Commission Order. Lastly, the Commission required Dakota Electric, Minnesota Power, Xcel Energy, and Otter Tail Power to permanently file annual MN DIP timeline reports. (Docket 16-521)

• The Commission decided that it has a jurisdiction to approve, modify or reject Frontier/Citizens’ petition of a proposed Customer Transition Plan filed on July 7, 2026. The Commission required Frontier to submit supplemental information and deemed the petition incomplete.  The Commission also established scheduling and procedural paths. (Docket 26-266)

Recaps of Commission public meetings

Public meetings

Castle Rock battery energy storage project: On August 4-5, the PUC held public information meetings for a Site Permit for the up to 150 MW Castle Rock Battery Energy Storage System project in Dakota County. Associated facilities of the project will include battery energy storage enclosures, inverters and transformers, electrical collection lines, access roads, fencing, and other minor equipment and subcomponents typical of a BESS project. The project site is approximately 6.8 acres and is located entirely within the footprint of the previously permitted Castle Rock Solar facility. 

Notable new dockets or filings

There were more than 1,750 filings in August. To see what has come in, visit eDockets, which is the electronic docket system of the Commission. Learn how to subscribe to eDockets and view a list of dockets currently open for comment.

Minnesota Public Utilities Commission
121 7th Place E, Suite 350 Saint Paul, MN 55101-2147

(651) 296-0406 | (800) 657-3782
consumer.puc@state.mn.us