On May 9, 2018 the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission issued an order approving Xcel Energy’s residential electric vehicle (“EV”) pilot program (the “Pilot”), designed as an alternative to Xcel’s existing EV tariff, concluding that the Pilot will “benefit all ratepayers by aiding Xcel in its efforts to integrate EV load as cost-effectively as possible.” A
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To Need or Not to Need, that is the Question: MN PUC Answers in the Affirmative
By Andrew Moratzka & Sara Bergan on
On Monday, the MN PUC addressed whether ‘tis nobler in the pocketbook to suffer the slings and arrows of the MISO market or to invest in new generating units against a sea of uncertainty.
As we noted in prior blogs, the MN PUC initiated the competitive process seeking bids to meet a claimed capacity…
Xcel Announces Launch Date for its Community Solar Garden Program
By Sara Bergan & Andrew Moratzka on
Xcel announced this morning that it plans to open its Community Solar Garden program next Friday, December 12, 2014 at 9:00 AM CST. In its filing, the company attempts to clarify the “first-ready, first-served” application process it plans to follow. The company explains that Garden operators can view a time stamp marking when the application…
Fake Punt! Minnesota Commission Immediately Reevaluates Motion, Advances Solar Plus One (or more) Gas Plants
By Sara Bergan on
In a follow up to our prior post, we now report that the Minnesota Commission subsequently modified its initial decision to clarify that Xcel Energy is directed to negotiate a power purchase agreement with the solar bidder, which will be reviewed by the Commission to ensure the terms are consistent with the public interest.…
Minnesota Commission Punts on Resource Decision: Keeps Solar in the Game
By Sara Bergan on
Posted in Solar
After the years of inconclusive resource planning, months of contested case proceedings, and days of oral argument, discussion and review that led to today’s deliberations, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (“Commission”) unanimously decided not to decide. The ultimate question before the Commission was what capacity needs had been determined in the record and what should…
Xcel Announces 150 MW Solar RFP
By Sarah Johnson Phillips on
This morning, Xcel Energy announced plans to issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for up to 150 MW of solar energy generation. Xcel included its RFP plans in a filing submitted to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (Commission) outlining its strategy for complying with Minnesota’s new solar energy standard. The standard requires that public…
Administrative Law Judge Recommends 4.7 Percent Increase for Xcel Energy’s Minnesota Customers
By Andrew Moratzka on
Posted in Nuclear, Regulation
On July 8, 2013, Xcel Energy Inc., submitted a filing with the SEC detailing an Administrative Law Judge’s decision in a pending electric rate case in Minnesota and calculating the decision’s impact on one of its subsidiaries. In November 2012, Northern States Power Company (NSP), a wholly owned subsidiary of Xcel Energy Inc., petitioned the Minnesota…
Xcel Recommends “No Action” on Two of Minnesota’s Largest Coal-Fired Units
By Andrew Moratzka on
Posted in Regulation
Last November, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy’s 2011-2025 Integrated Resource Plan and established various compliance filing requirements and deadlines. Pursuant to that November 2012 Order, the Commission directed Xcel to conduct a Life Cycle Management Study (“LCM Study”) examining the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of continuing to operate, retrofitting, or retiring Sherburne County…
Minnesota PUC clarifies that “other credits” include RECs
By Sarah Johnson Phillips on
Posted in Litigation
Last year, we reported on the resolution of a longstanding dispute between Xcel Energy and 46 renewable energy generators about the ownership of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) when the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) is silent. In an Order released September 9, 2010, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission decided that 1) generators own the RECs produced…
Xcel Energy Seeks up to 250 MW of Wind Power
By Sarah Johnson Phillips on
Posted in Wind
Xcel Energy is seeking to acquire up to 250 MW of new wind generation in the Upper Midwest in a Request for Proposals (RFP) announced today. Xcel will consider purchasing energy output from new wind projects through a power purchase agreement or owning the wind generation assets.
Xcel will accept proposals of any size so…