Minnesota Power’s Competitive Rate Advances Following Utilities Commission Decision

DULUTH, Minn. – Minnesota Power has received a decision form the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) that advances the approval of its new competitive rate for some of northeastern Minnesota’s largest employers.

The 2015 Minnesota Legislature enacted a law authorizing Minnesota Power to submit discounted rate plans for a limited number of its large industrial customers, including taconite mines and forest products industries that meet state criteria as energy-intensive and trade-exposed businesses.

MPCU initially approved Minnesota Power’s plan on December 21, 2016, which would reduce the rate paid by these industrial companies by 5-percent.

This decision allows for a rate adjustment for other customers as a per kilowatt hour charge based on energy usage.

Under the approved plan, residential customers could see up to a 6.5-percent increase on their monthly bills. For small businesses and larger commercial customers the range could be anywhere between 4.5-percent to 8-percent.

Additional outreach efforts would be provided to low-income customers.