Minneapolis Mulls Options

Finance & Commerce – September 17, 2012

Franchise agreements seen as bargaining tool

A pair of expiring land-use agreements between Minneapolis and the state’s largest utilities has opened up a debate over the city’s role in pushing for greater investments in renewable energy and energy efficiency.

The debate centers on a pair of 20-year-old franchise agreements that the city has with Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy and are expiring at the end of 2014.  The agreements focus on the fees a utility pays to use public rights-of-way, but advocates say they could also be used as a tool to get utilities to invest in city priorities.

“This is the city’s opportunity to see what they can do, and they should push as hard as they can to get as much as they can,” said Ken Bradley, a program director withEnvironment Minnesota.

Environment Minnesota is among the organizations participating in a recently formed group, Minneapolis Energy Options, which is pushing city leaders to seek investments in energy efficiency and renewable power as they work on fresh franchise agreements.

Continue reading at Finance & Commerce ->

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...