The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission’s Interconnection Ombudsperson investigates interconnection disputes and responds to interconnection-related inquiries. The ombudsperson is not an advocate. They review information from the consumer and the electric utility, identifying issues and seeking resolution. The ombudsperson has no authority to award monetary damages, but can assist customers in resolving issues through investigation, mediation, or they may refer a consumer to the formal complaint process.
The legislation creating the ombudsperson position empowers the ombudsperson to facilitate complaints pertaining to the three-investor owned Minnesota utilities, and only with regard to electric service in Minnesota:
Minnesota Power
Otter Tail Power
Xcel Energy
Municipal and cooperative utilities are outside the ombudsperson’s jurisdiction. The PUC also does not oversee solar developers or installers. Complaints about these entities should be directed to the Office of the Attorney General.
Consumers and stakeholders can submit inquiries for information or file complaints. The Consumer Affairs Office determines if a submission is classified as a complaint or an inquiry. Minnesota law empowers the ombudsperson to engage in the following activities:
Tracking interconnection disputes between applicants and utilities;
Facilitating the efficient and fair resolution of disputes between customers seeking to interconnect and utilities;
Reviewing utility interconnection policies to assess opportunities to reduce interconnection disputes, while considering the equitable distribution of distributed generation facilities;
Convening stakeholder groups as necessary to facilitate effective communication among interconnection stakeholders; and
Preparing reports that detail the number, type, resolution timelines, and outcome of interconnection disputes.
Consumers, developers, installers, utilities, and third party agents involved in the interconnection process can submit complaints or inquiries with the PUC using the same process used to submit an inquiry or complaint to the Commission’s consumer affairs office, listed below.
Consent from the customer/consumer is required if filing a complaint on their behalf.
If you have a complaint about a solar interconnection, please fill out our Solar Interconnection Complaint and Inquiry Form.