Have Your Say on Utility Increases

Right now, the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) is considering a request by Xcel Energy to increase the electric bills of around 1 million consumers by 12.5%

Boffeli, Seth

• This is the 6^th rate increase filed since 2005 by Xcel. If approved, around 1 million Xcel customers will have had their utility bill increased 7 times in a 10 year span.

• Xcel’s proposal is a two-year rate increase that would increase the average residential electric bill by $123.48 per year by 2016.

• Xcel customers are being asked to pay more – even when they use less energy.

• Minnesotans aged 65 and older are among typically use less energy.

• While residential customers will be charged 12.5% more, large corporations will only see a 9.2% increase.

 

Send a Message to the PUC

Luckily, consumers don’t have to just sit back and take it. Unlike many states, Minnesota has a strong PUC that truly listens to the concerns of consumers.  This summer, AARP is working hard to help consumers raise their voices before Xcel raises our rates. Without the consumer voice, it will be more difficult to stop these unfair and unreasonable rate hike. The more people  who speak up, the better chance consumers have.

Take a minute right now and make sure the PUC hears from you – send your letter today!                                 

 

Or attend one of the following public hearings in June:

Monday June 23^rd

1:00 pm -- Minneapolis       

Earle Brown Heritage Center

6155 Earle Brown Dr., Minneapolis

 

7:00 pm -- Minneapolis

Sabathani Center

310 East 38 ^th St., Minneapolis

 

Tuesday June 24^th

1:00 pm – St. Paul

West Minnehaha Rec Center

685 West Minnehaha Ave., St. Paul

 

7:00 pm -- Woodbury

Woodbury Central Park

8595 Central Park Pl., Woodbury

 

Wednesday June 25^th

7:00 pm -- Mankato

Mankato Civic Center

1 Civic Center Plaza, Mankato

 

Thursday June 26^th

7:00 pm – Eden Prairie

Eden Prairie City Center

8080 Mitchell Rd., Eden Prairie

 

Friday June 27^th

1:00 pm – St. Cloud

Lake George Municipal Complex

1101 7 ^th St. South, St. Cloud

 

Previous Coverage of AARP Utility Work:

• Mankato Free Press: Public to Weigh In on Xcel Case on Monday
• Public News Service: Xcel’s Rate Request Doesn’t Add Up

• Star Tribune: AARP Vows to Fight CenterPoint Rate Hike
• Star Tribune: CenterPoint Lauds its Natural Gas Pricing Plan
• Public News Service: Deadline Looms to Weigh In on CenterPoint Rate Case