CenterPoint rate case
CenterPoint Energy has asked the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to approve a natural gas rate increase of $84.6 million, or 6.5%, for 2024 and $51.8 million, or 3.7%, for 2025. This would mean an extra $5.91 per month for residential customers in 2024 and an additional $2.58 per month in 2025.
Natural gas customers pay three types of charges:
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Basic service charge
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Delivery charge
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Cost of gas
The proposed increase would change the basic service and delivery charges. The cost of gas itself is based on how much customers use and the current price of fuel.
The reasons for this rate increase include:
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Rising costs for operating, maintaining, and distributing gas.
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Increased value of the facilities and investments used to serve customers.
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Higher returns for investors, and higher costs of borrowing money.
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Ongoing efforts to reduce emissions and the environmental impact of the gas system
Important procedural deadlines
CenterPoint rate case calendar of events
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.
Additional ways to get involved
If you cannot make the meeting, but still want to comment, there are multiple ways to reach the Commission.
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Email to consumer.puc@state.mn.us.
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Mail your comments to:
Minnesota Public Utilities Commission,
121 7th Place East, Suite 350,
Saint Paul, MN 55101. -
Online form
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Video comments - Please limit you video to three minutes. If there is more you would like to say, or if you would like to submit your script, you can submit a written comment here.
When commenting on CenterPoint's rate case, reference docket number 23-173. Visit the comment page on the Commission’s website to learn more.