Gas IRP
Background
Gas integrated resource planning (gas IRP) is driven by the Commission’s mission to ensure safe, reliable, and affordable utility service that is consistent with Minnesota’s laws. The initiative was started following the 2021 gas price spike from Winter Storm Uri, which demonstrated a need for a more comprehensive planning approach to protect consumers from commodity price volatility. Resource planning is a forward-looking process designed to identify resources needed to provide reliable energy service to Minnesotans.
The Commission defined the framework for gas IRP in Minnesota in 2024. In its decision, the Commission required a significant number of details to be included in gas IRPs. Some of the categories of information are forecasts of energy use, a list of resources available to meet customer demand, resource mixes that could meet customer demand and costs associated with those resource mixes, methane emissions information, and equity considerations used in the planning process. For a full list of the information required, please see the PUC’s order here.
When will the PUC Review the first gas IRPs?
Xcel Energy will file the first IRP in July 2026, followed by CenterPoint Energy in July 2027, and then Minnesota Energy Resources Corp. (MERC) in July 2028. However, the companies will begin working on their IRPs before that. Stay tuned to PUC docket no. 23-117 for notices about public meetings. Find information about how to subscribe to a docket here.
Opportunities to Get Involved
The Commission will ensure public meetings provide opportunities for Minnesota residents to verbally comment on the utilities’ natural gas resource plans considering accessibility for individuals from or representing communities that are typically underrepresented in utility decision-making.
What to expect at a public meeting
The Commission’s public process gives stakeholders a chance to review utilities’ plans and helps ensure decisions are built on feedback and analysis from citizens, utilities, state agencies, clean energy organizations, labor unions, consumer advocates, and more. Public meetings are one of those opportunities to learn more and make a comment.
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Public meeting – There will be a short presentation about the plan and then an administrative law judge will take your verbal comments. All comments and names of commenters are part of the public record.
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Making a verbal comment – There will be a sign-up for those that want to make an oral comment at the meeting. Commenters will be called to speak based on the order they sign up. We advise signing up by the time the meeting starts. The judge may open up to additional comments if there is time
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There will be translation services for comments submitted in several languages, including Somali, Hmong, and Spanish.
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