St. Paul, Minnesota — The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission approved at its November 5th agenda meeting a petition from Xcel Energy to provide temporary relief for commercial, and industrial customers experiencing reduced business due to COVID-19 and civil unrest.

 

The program will provide a 25 percent credit or discount on basic charges (excluding the customer charge) for an eight-month period starting January 1, 2021. To be eligible for this program, small businesses must demonstrate peak monthly loads of less than 100 kW before the COVID-19 pandemic, and a 25 percent peak load reduction compared to the same month a year prior.

 

“Small businesses are still reeling from extraordinary challenges during an unprecedented year due to the COVID-19 pandemic; this program will reduce economic impacts,” said Commissioner Means. “It is our hope that this temporary lower rate will help small businesses recover from the economic consequences of the pandemic, and help businesses rebuild after the civil unrest that occurred this past summer,” said Commissioner Sieben.

 

The Commission’s oversight of this program includes a requirement for Xcel Energy to demonstrate the reasonableness of any cost recovery, as well as providing a cost-benefit analysis. Xcel’s proposed discount program is limited to 50 Mw of customer loads. Xcel estimates the 50-Mw cap would result in approximately 1,950 customers participating in the discount program.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission regulates three cornerstone service industries in Minnesota's economy: electricity, natural gas, and telephone. The Commission’s mission is to create and maintain a regulatory environment that ensures safe, adequate, and efficient utility services at fair, reasonable rates consistent with State telecommunications and energy policies. It does so by providing independent, consistent, professional and comprehensive oversight and regulation of utility service providers. Learn more at mn.gov/puc.

 

Please contact Will Seuffert, 651-201-2217 or will.seuffert@state.mn.us if you have any questions.

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