Why Now?

Minnesota Power recently asked the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) to raise rates by $81 million and shift $14 million in line items currently reflected on customers’ bill into base rates. That sounds like a lot of money. If we were you, our first questions would be why now and what’s in it for me?

The production and delivery of electric energy is undergoing major changes. As a utility, we are investing in our system so we can continue to provide reliable, efficient and cleaner energy to our customers. From maintaining our existing fleet, to environmental upgrades, to bringing more renewable energy online, we continue to make significant phased investments in our plants, lines and systems. This investment has been underway for several years and is causing a series of rate increases right now.

What’s in it for me?

We could give you several explanations about our rising expenses, such as legislative mandates and the ever increasing costs of the fuel used to create electricity. And all of these examples are legitimate reasons to request increased rates. But the truth is, we are asking for this increase because the investments we’re making will help keep Minnesota Power a strong electricity supplier, keep Minnesota’s environment healthy and allow us to continue providing reliable power to our customers, just as we have done for more than a century. Simply put, we believe the benefits funded by this request are necessary for our customers.