
Greater Minnesota Gas rate case
Greater Minnesota Gas has requested that the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approve a 7.7% rate increase for its residential and business customers. The proposed adjustment for GMG customers would raise retail natural gas rates by $1.4 million annually, starting January 1, 2025.
Greater Minnesota Gas previously submitted a rate increase request in 2009.
Interim rates
As part of a rate-case review, utilities are entitled under Minnesota law to recover a portion of their proposed costs through interim rates while the PUC conducts a comprehensive evaluation of the full rate request. Greater Minnesota Gas (GMG) requested an interim rate increase of $1.4 million, or 7.7%, which matches its total proposed rate increase.
After reviewing GMG’s interim rate request the Commission approved the collection of interim rates. These rates will take effect on January 1, 2025, and will result in changes to monthly energy bills for residential and business customers. If the final approved rates are lower than the interim rates, customers will receive refunds with interest for any overpayments.
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 identified by the utility for this proposed rate increase include:
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Length of time since last rate case, 15 years
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Rising costs for operating, maintaining, and distributing gas
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Significant investments to maintain the safety and integrity of its natural gas distribution system.
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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Translation services: You can comment in Somali, Hmong, Spanish, and other languages with translation services available.
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
When commenting on Greater Minnesota Power's rate case, reference docket number 24-350. Visit the comment page on the Commission’s website to learn more.