Title Minnesota Statutes, Minnesota Statutes

216B.1645 POWER PURCHASE CONTRACT OR INVESTMENT. § Subdivision 1.Commission authority. Upon the petition of a public utility, the Public Utilities Commission shall approve or disapprove power purchase contracts, investments, or expenditures entered into or made by the utility to …

216B.1646 RATE REDUCTION; PROPERTY TAX REDUCTION. (a) The commission shall, by any method the commission finds appropriate, reduce the rates each electric utility subject to rate regulation by the commission charges its customers to reflect, on an ongoing basis, the amount by whi…

216B.1647 PROPERTY TAX ADJUSTMENT; COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION. A cooperative electric association that has elected to be subject to rate regulation under section 216B.026 is eligible to file with the commission for approval an adjustment for real and personal property taxes, fees, a…

216B.166 COGENERATING POWER PLANT. § Subdivision 1.Findings. The legislature finds and declares that significant public benefits may be derived from the cogeneration of electrical and thermal energy and that cogenerated district heating may result in improved utilization and cons…

216B.167 PERFORMANCE-BASED GAS PURCHASING PLAN. § Subdivision 1.Plan approval; commission findings. A public utility that furnishes natural gas may petition the commission for approval of a performance-based gas purchasing plan under this section. The commission may approve a pla…

216B.1675 PERFORMANCE REGULATION PLAN FOR GAS UTILITY SERVICE. § Subdivision 1.Purpose. Performance-based regulation plans for public utilities offering natural gas services are authorized in order to provide quality service at rates that can reasonably and reliably be expected t…

216B.1681 CURTAILMENT PAYMENTS. The commission shall conduct a study of curtailment payments for wind energy projects to assess whether utilities are unduly discriminating among project ownership structures in regard to the contractual availability of curtailment payments. The co…

216B.169 RENEWABLE AND HIGH-EFFICIENCY ENERGY RATE OPTIONS. § Subdivision 1.Definitions. For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given them. (a) "Utility" means a public utility, municipal utility, or cooperative electric association providing elec…

216B.1691 RENEWABLE ENERGY OBJECTIVES. § Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meaning given them. (b) "Carbon-free" means a technology that generates electricity without emitting carbon dioxide. (c) Unless otherwise specified i…

216B.1692 EMISSIONS-REDUCTION RIDER. § Subdivision 1.Qualifying projects. (a) Projects that may be approved for the emissions reduction-rate rider allowed in this section must: (1) be installed on existing large electric generating power plants, as defined in section 216B.2421, s…

216B.1694 INNOVATIVE ENERGY PROJECT. § Subdivision 1.Definition. For the purposes of this section, the term "innovative energy project" means a proposed energy-generation facility or group of facilities which may be located on up to three sites: (1) that makes use of an innovativ…

216B.1695 ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS; ADVANCE DETERMINATION OF PRUDENCE. § Subdivision 1.Qualifying project. A public utility may petition the commission for an advance determination of prudence for a project undertaken to comply with federal or state air quality standards of states …

216B.1696 COMPETITIVE RATE FOR ENERGY-INTENSIVE, TRADE-EXPOSED ELECTRIC UTILITY CUSTOMER. § Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given them. (b) "Clean energy technology" is energy technology that generates electricity…

216B.17 COMPLAINT INVESTIGATION AND HEARING. § Subdivision 1.Investigation. On the commission's own motion or upon a complaint made against any public utility by the governing body of any political subdivision, by another public utility, by the department, by any 50 consumers of …

216B.172 CONSUMER DISPUTES. § Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the meanings given. (b) "Appeal" means a request a complainant files with the commission to review and make a final decision regarding the resolution of the com…

216B.18 SERVICE OF NOTICE. Service of notice of all hearings, investigations, and proceedings pending before the commission and of complaints, reports, orders, and other documents must be made personally, by electronic service as provided in section 216.17, or by mail as the comm…

216B.19 JOINT HEARING AND INVESTIGATION. In the discharge of its duties under Laws 1974, chapter 429, the commission or the department may cooperate with similar commissions of other states and any federal agency and may hold joint hearings and make joint investigations with othe…

216B.20 SEPARATE RATE HEARING. The commission may, in its discretion, when complaint is made of more than one rate or charge, order separate hearings thereon, and may consider and determine the several matters complained of separately and at times it may prescribe. History: 1974 …

216B.21 SUMMARY INVESTIGATION. § Subdivision 1.Authority. Whenever the commission has reason to believe that any rate or charge may be unreasonable or unjustly discriminatory or that any service is inadequate or cannot be obtained or that an investigation of any matter relating t…

216B.22 MUNICIPALITY; AMICUS CURIAE AUTHORITY. Any municipality that regulates and controls the exercise of a public utility franchise by reason of its home rule charter on January 1, 1975, is authorized to assist the Public Utilities Commission as amicus curiae in any proceeding…

216B.23 LAWFUL RATE; REASONABLE SERVICE. § Subdivision 1.Determination as to rate; order. Whenever upon an investigation made under the provisions of Laws 1974, chapter 429, the commission shall find rates, tolls, charges, schedules or joint rates to be unjust, unreasonable, insu…

216B.24 CONSTRUCTION OF MAJOR FACILITY; FILING PLANS. § Subdivision 1.Major utility facility defined. The words "major utility facility" means: (1) electric generating plant and associated facilities designed for, or capable of, operation at a capacity of 50 megawatts or more; (2…

216B.2401 ENERGY SAVINGS AND OPTIMIZATION POLICY GOAL. (a) The legislature finds that energy savings are an energy resource, and that cost-effective energy savings are preferred over all other energy resources. In addition, the legislature finds that optimizing the timing and met…

216B.2402 DEFINITIONS. § Subdivision 1.Definitions. For the purposes of section 216B.16, subdivision 6b, and sections 216B.2401 to 216B.241, the following terms have the meanings given them. § Subd. 2.Consumer-owned utility. "Consumer-owned utility" means a municipal gas utility,…

216B.2403 CONSUMER-OWNED UTILITIES; ENERGY CONSERVATION AND OPTIMIZATION. § Subdivision 1.Applicability. This section applies to: (1) a cooperative electric association that provides retail service to more than 5,000 members; (2) a municipality that provides electric service to m…

216B.241 PUBLIC UTILITIES; ENERGY CONSERVATION AND OPTIMIZATION. § Subdivision 1. MS 2020 [Repealed, 2021 c 29 s 19] § Subd. 1a.Large customer facility. (a) The owner of a large customer facility may petition the commissioner to exempt both electric and gas utilities serving the …

216B.2411 DISTRIBUTED ENERGY RESOURCES. § Subdivision 1.Generation projects. (a) Any municipality or rural electric association providing electric service and subject to section 216B.241 may, and each public utility may, use five percent of the total amount to be spent on energy …

216B.2412 DECOUPLING OF ENERGY SALES FROM REVENUES. § Subdivision 1.Definition and purpose. For the purpose of this section, "decoupling" means a regulatory tool designed to separate a utility's revenue from changes in energy sales. The purpose of decoupling is to reduce a utilit…

216B.2421 DEFINITION OF LARGE ENERGY FACILITY. § Subdivision 1.Applicability. The definition in this section applies to this section and sections 216B.2422 and 216B.243. § Subd. 2.Large energy facility. "Large energy facility" means: (1) any electric power generating plant or com…

216B.2422 RESOURCE PLANNING; RENEWABLE ENERGY. § Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings given them. (b) "Utility" means an entity with the capability of generating 100,000 kilowatts or more of electric …

216B.2423 WIND POWER MANDATE. § Subdivision 1.Mandate. A public utility, as defined in section 216B.02, subdivision 4, that operates a nuclear-powered electric generating plant within this state must construct and operate, purchase, or contract to construct and operate: (1) 225 m…

216B.2424 BIOMASS POWER MANDATE. § Subdivision 1.Farm-grown closed-loop biomass. (a) For the purposes of this section, "farm-grown closed-loop biomass" means herbaceous crops, trees, agricultural waste, and aquatic plant matter that is used to generate electricity, but does not i…

216B.2425 STATE TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION PLAN. § Subdivision 1.List. The commission shall maintain a list of certified high-voltage transmission line and grid enhancing technology projects. § Subd. 1a.Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms hav…

216B.2426 OPPORTUNITIES FOR DISTRIBUTED GENERATION. The commission shall ensure that opportunities for the installation of distributed generation, as that term is defined in section 216B.169, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), are considered in any proceeding under section 216B.2422, …

216B.2427 NATURAL GAS UTILITY INNOVATION PLANS. § Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section and section 216B.2428, the following terms have the meanings given. (b) "Biogas" means gas produced by the anaerobic digestion of biomass, gasification of biomass, or…

216B.2428 LIFECYCLE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS ACCOUNTING FRAMEWORK; COST-BENEFIT TEST FOR INNOVATIVE RESOURCES. By June 1, 2022, the commission shall, by order, issue frameworks the commission must use to calculate lifecycle greenhouse gas emissions intensities of each innovative …

216B.244 NUCLEAR PLANT CAPACITY REQUIREMENTS. A reactor unit at a nuclear power electric generating plant that has an annual load capacity factor of less than 55 percent for each of three consecutive calendar years must be shut down and cease operating no later than 500 days afte…

216B.2445 DECOMMISSIONING NUCLEAR PLANT; STORING USED FUEL. § Subdivision 1.Decommissioning costs. (a) The Public Utilities Commission shall, when considering approval of a plan for the accrual of funds for the decommissioning of nuclear facilities filed in accordance with a comm…

216B.245 PUMP AND STORE HYDROPOWER FACILITY; PROHIBITION. A state agency may not issue a permit for the construction of a facility for generating electricity if the facility would be located on top of the bluffs along the Mississippi River and would pump water from any portion of…

216B.246 FEDERALLY APPROVED TRANSMISSION LINES; INCUMBENT TRANSMISSION LINEOWNER RIGHTS. § Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the terms defined in this subdivision have the meanings given them. (b) "Electric transmission line" means a high-voltage transm…

216B.25 FURTHER ACTION ON PREVIOUS ORDER. The commission may at any time, on its own motion or upon motion of an interested party, and upon notice to the public utility and after opportunity to be heard, rescind, alter, or amend any order fixing rates, tolls, charges, or schedule…

216B.26 ORDER; EFFECTIVE DATE. Every decision made by the commission constituting an order or determination is in force and effective 20 days after it has been filed and has been served by personal delivery, electronic service as provided in section 216.17, or by mailing a copy t…

216B.27 REHEARING; CONDITION PRECEDENT TO JUDICIAL REVIEW. § Subdivision 1.Applying for rehearing. Within 20 days after the service by the commission of any decision constituting an order or determination, any party to the proceeding and any other person, aggrieved by the decisio…

216B.28 SUBPOENA; WITNESS FEE AND MILEAGE. The commission and each commissioner, or the secretary of the commission may issue subpoenas and all necessary processes in proceedings pending before it; and each process shall extend to all parts of the state and may be served by any p…

216B.29 HEARING AND SUBPOENA COMPLIANCE POWERS. The commission and each of the commissioners or authorized examiner, for the purpose mentioned in Laws 1974, chapter 429, may administer oaths and examine witnesses. In case of failure on the part of any person to comply with any su…

216B.30 DEPOSITION. The commission or any party to the proceedings may, in any investigation or hearing before the commission, cause the deposition of witnesses residing within or without the state to be taken in the manner prescribed by law for taking depositions in civil action…