Latest News
John Oliver Explains Electric Utilities with Humor
Posted by Lee Samelson on May 17, 2022
John Oliver explains electric utilities, why they're charging you so much, and why they hate solar Article by PETER WEBER Somebody must have hired John...
The Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership Board has its First Meeting of 2022, Notes on the Discussion Between the City and both Utilities
Posted by Lee Samelson on May 11, 2022
The first Minneapolis Clean Energy Partnership Board meeting of 2022 and its first meeting with City Councilmembers Aisha Chughtai and Lisa Goodman on the board...
Looking into Xcel's 21.2% Rate Hike to Protect Market Share
Posted by Lee Samelson on December 09, 2021
On Monday Oct 25th, the headline hit the newsstands: Xcel Energy proposes a 21.2% rate increase for electricity. MPR News: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2021/10/26/xcel-seeks-20-electric-rate-increase-over-three-years Star Tribune: https://www.startribune.com/xcel-would-hike-residential-power-bills-nearly-20-in-new-rate-case/600109892/ That...
Comment on Xcel's Revised Plan (Oct 15th Deadline) Regarding 2 New Gas Plants
Posted by Lee Samelson on October 12, 2021
Dear MN Public Utilities Commission (MNPUC), In regard to any upcoming decisions on Docket 19-368, I am asking the commission to please defer any approval...
Xcel Drops Plan for New Sherco Gas Plant
Posted by Lee Samelson on June 25, 2021
Our voices were heard loud and clear! In an official filing on June 25th, Xcel Energy has dropped their plans to build the new Sherco Combined...
My Comment on Xcel's 15-Year Plan Part 2: More Fair Consideration of Distributed and Community Solar
Posted by Lee Samelson on February 06, 2021
UNREALISTICALLY LOW ESTIMATES FOR COMMUNITY AND DISTRIBUTED SOLAR The oddest and most bewildering problem with Xcel’s revised 2020-2034 Integrated Resource Plan is that it...
My Comment on Xcel's 15-year Plan Part 1: Need Alternatives to New Sherco Gas Plant
Posted by Lee Samelson on February 06, 2021
I preface my comments on Xcel’s Integrated Resource Plan by echoing that this process is the one which Xcel Energy recently identified as “where we...
A guide for commenting on Xcel's 15 Year Plan: Racial Justice, Community Solar and Fossil Gas
Posted by Lee Samelson on January 11, 2021
Hey Xcel! No New Fossil Gas Comment on Xcel's 15-Year Energy Resource Plan - Deadline Extended to February 11th ! We make it...
2020 Year in Review
Posted by Lee Samelson on December 16, 2020
This year has been unprecedented. On a global scale, a pandemic. On a national scale, a long overdue upheaval in protest to racial injustice to...
Coalition Partners Launch "Energy We Can't Afford" Campaign to Challenge New Fossil Gas Plants
Posted by Lee Samelson on October 03, 2020
Quick Action: Sign the petition here to help Xcel fix its "F" grade on gas. Across Minnesota, utilities are rushing to replace coal with fossil gas (or “natural...
Xcel's Shockingly Low Forecasts for Community & Distributed Solar
Posted by Lee Samelson on September 14, 2020
Undercounting customer-sited and non-utility solar energy in Minnesota has significant financial and economic consequences and utilities need to instead plan for more competition. Why do we...
Take Action for Inclusive Financing and Against Regressive Rate Increases
Posted by Lee Samelson on July 15, 2020
CenterPoint Energy, which provides natural gas to Minneapolis and many of the western suburbs, has had public hearings for an unpopular rate hike proposal which...