Title: Certificate of Need
Alternate Title:
Description: Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC)
Subject: Energy Facilities
Utilities
Creation Date: 9/11/2008 2:11:37 PM
Modification Date: 8/19/2025 8:28:35 AM
Agency Name: Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Minnesota
Agency URL: https://mn.gov/puc/
Agency Description:
The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regulates three service industries in Minnesota, electricity, natural gas, and telephone. It is the commission's responsibility to ensure that vendors of these services provide safe, adequate, and reliable service at fair, reasonable rates.
Agency Phone: 651-296-0406
800-657-3782
Agency Fax: 651-297-7073
Agency URL: https://mn.gov/puc/
Agency Address:
121 7th Place East, Suite 350
St. Paul
MN 55101-2147
Unit Name: Email
Unit URL:
Unit Description:
Unit Phone: Unit Fax: Contact person(s): publicadvisor.puc@state.mn.us
Unit URL:
Audience: Hold
Application URL:
Renewal URL:
Versa URL:
Requirements:
Review:
Energy Infrastructure Permitting
Certificate of Need
In Minnesota, certain large electric generating facilities and large high-voltage transmission lines are required by law to obtain a certificate of need in addition to any necessary site or route permits. A certificate of need is an approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission that confirms the demonstrated need for a large electric generating facility or high-voltage transmission line. The certificate of need process ensures that proposed projects are indeed necessary to provide reliable and cost-effective energy service, considering factors such as energy demand, environmental impacts, and alternatives.
Rules: 7849
Statutes: 216B.2421
216B.243
Forms:
Fees:
The fees vary by type of facility, as does the amount that must accompany the application. The fee rules are Minn. Rules 7849.0210, 7851.0210, 7853.0210, and Rules 7855.0210
The Commission will bill an applicant for additional costs beyond the set fees.
Additional fees may be required to cover costs of any rehearing.
Period of Issuance:
The certificate of need is a construction permit, not an operating permit. As a result, the permit does not expire or have to be renewed (although the Commission possibly could withdraw a certificate of need if construction does not commence within a reasonable, but unspecified, amount of time).
Length of Determination: The statute provides an advisory deadline of twelve months (from the time a complete application is filed until a written decision is rendered). The Commission may extend this time period for just cause.
Other Info:
Activity: Energy Facilities
License Detail URL:
Certificate of Need
Energy Infrastructure Permitting
Public Utilities Commission (PUC), Minnesota
eDockets
