Minnesota households hoping for relief from an Xcel Energy rate increase may not get it, as efforts to cut the utility's allowed profits and save customers millions remain unresolved.
Here's what to know
The key dispute in Xcel Energy's still-pending rate case is its return on equity, the profit level regulators permit the company to collect from customers.
As KSTP 5 Eyewitness News (@KSTPTV) reported in a YouTube clip, the issue resurfaced after the chair of the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission filed an opinion further explaining a decision that the attorney general's office, the Commerce Department, and the Citizen Utility Board want the commission to revisit.
In that filing, the commission defended its position, writing that "the commission will therefore set the company's return on equity at 9.6%." The Minnesota attorney general, the state's Commerce Department, and the Citizen Utility Board argue that the approved return on equity would add tens of millions in yearly customer costs.
Public opposition has been extensive. More than 8,600 comments were submitted during the case, and most opposed Xcel's proposed increase. In the video's comment section, one viewer wrote, "At some point there needs to be some accountability."
What happens next depends on whether the full commission decides to reopen the case or keep its position.
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More background
When regulators approve higher costs or stronger profit margins for monopoly utilities, those decisions can quickly show up in the electric bills customers pay each month.
If households are forced to spend more just to keep the lights on, they have less room in their budgets for essentials such as food, rent, and medicine, as well as cleaner home upgrades such as efficient appliances and electrification.
"'We're looking to save customers millions. So we are voting to increase everybody's rates,' the math doesn't match the rhetoric," another commenter wrote.
Despite the level of public opposition, consumer advocate Karlee Weinmann of the Energy and Policy Institute told KSTP that the filing "sends a very concerning signal about the direction that they're looking."
What's being done?
The decision is still being challenged. The attorney general's office, the Commerce Department, and the Citizen Utility Board have all urged the commission to revisit the profit issue rather than simply let the decision stand.
The case is still building a public record of how strongly customers oppose the increase.
Where can I learn more?
Similar fights over utility profits and customer bills are playing out beyond Minnesota. These stories look at Xcel's push for higher charges in Colorado, state efforts to curb rate hikes, and broader backlash as utilities seek billions more from households.
• In Colorado, Xcel sought another $6.15 a month from households as shutoffs surged 705%.
• In Oregon, lawmakers weighed major changes to how utility companies can raise customer rates.
• Across the country, utilities requested record-breaking $31 billion in rate hikes as backlash intensified.
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