Minneapolis eyes way to push utilities to be greener

Star Tribune | September 23, 2012

Maya Rao

As Minneapolis pushes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by nearly a third by 2025, city leaders are debating what role their franchise agreements with utility companies should play.

The agreements, signed in the early 1990s, give Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy space below or along streets, alleys and other public rights of way in exchange for millions of dollars in franchise fees.

But the city imposes no renewable energy requirements in the contracts. Minnesota law doesn’t allow municipalities to make those conditions in franchise agreements.

City Council members last week voted to create a work group to help determine the city’s future with Xcel and CenterPoint, whose agreements expire at the end of 2014. Officials expect to examine a range of possibilities, including pressing the state to give cities more authority in their utility agreements, reducing the span of agreements to just a couple of years rather than decades and having the city take over providing utilities.

Examining franchise contracts is only one way to meet emissions targets, said Council Member Elizabeth Glidden, who chairs the regulatory committee.

“But it’s a big agreement, and it is directly with utility companies, and so, obviously, thinking about those goals, and is there a way to impact them, is going to be on our minds,” she said.

Read the rest at Startribune.com ->

Photo credit

Latest

Jun

03

2025

Minneapolis Mayoral Candidate Forum June 25th + Great Community Solar Update!

Posted by on June 03, 2025

DOWNLOAD May-June NEWSLETTER Headlines: Minneapolis Mayoral Candidate Forum June 25th on Climate & Indigenous Communities.  Xcel and CenterPoint reverse commitments on social justice State Legislative...

May

22

2025

St. Paul City Council Candidate Forum on Climate & Energy

Posted by on May 22, 2025

DOWNLOAD May email blast Headlines St. Paul city council candidate forum on May 27th Save the date! Minneapolis mayoral candidate forum set for June 25th...

Apr

22

2025

Minneapolis Signs New Franchise Agreements with Utilities

Posted by on April 22, 2025

DOWNLOAD 2nd April NEWSLETTER Headlines City of Minneapolis Signs Clean Energy Partnership Agreement withXcel and CenterPoint New Candidate forum videos from Ward 10 & and...

Apr

15

2025

Take the Poison Pills out of the MN Senate Energy Bill!

Posted by on April 15, 2025

DOWNLOAD April NEWSLETTER Headlines Press Conference April 17th Reach out to your Legislators ! The Poison Pills in the Energy Omnibus Bill Education Corner: Dissecting...