February 13
Minnesota Power Rolls Out New, Expanded Programs to Help Customers Save Money
This week's top smart energy news, curated by the Smart Energy Consumer Collaborative (SECC).
Member News
Minnesota Power has introduced new and expanded programs, as well as bill credits, to help residential customers keep their bills lower. These new benefits, pending approval from the Minnesota PUC, are part of an estimated $200 million in direct benefits to Minnesota Power customers and communities following the recent acquisition of its parent company, Allete, by Canada Pension Plan Investment Board and Global Infrastructure Partners.
In 2021, the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities approved PSE&G’s Clean Energy Future Electric Vehicle Program, the first utility-led initiative of its kind in the state. The program gave us the green light to expand EV-charging infrastructure across our service territory, supporting New Jersey’s broader clean energy goals and enabling charging in residential, business and public spaces – about 45,000 chargers in all.
As part of its ongoing commitment to a cleaner, more sustainable future, Austin Energy announced that its GreenChoice® renewable energy subscription program has evolved to include Texas solar energy. Since 2001, GreenChoice has delivered 100% Texas wind-powered energy to customers in the program. "With solar producing energy during the day and more wind energy produced at night, it's a natural fit," the Texas public power utility said.
Expanding investment in energy efficiency and demand flexibility is the fastest and cheapest way to alleviate rapid electric load growth, according to a new analysis from the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE). However, as electricity rates rise, utility regulators are being asked to approve new gas power plants, putting utility customers on the hook for expensive projects that may not be needed.
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Industry News
Amid a genuine energy affordability crisis, U.S. utilities appear largely committed to business as usual. Consumer electric bills are rising faster than inflation during a period of widespread economic uncertainty, and energy costs were a ballot issue in last fall’s gubernatorial races. Meanwhile, surging demands for power and a more resilient grid are pushing the system toward expensive overbuild, with utilities seeking $31 billion in rate hikes in the past 12 months.
A group of governments in the Denver area has managed to hold on to a nearly $200 million federal grant to unleash heat pumps in the region – and now it’s putting that money to work. The group has retained the funding, awarded by the EPA in 2024, even as the Trump administration has canceled or attempted to claw back tens of billions in grants and loans doled out under Biden’s landmark climate and energy laws.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities directed four electric utilities to begin exploring how they might be able to use DERs to address grid congestion, improve reliability and cut costs. Responses to the request for information are due March 5. The RFI follows a pair of executive orders New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed in January, which are aimed at reducing utility bills and developing VPPs.
Last May, the Trump administration proposed eliminating a key federal program that lowers energy bills for low-income households. Now, amid a mounting energy affordability crisis, that program has officially survived – and even gotten a funding boost. Last week, President Donald Trump signed a spending bill with more than $4 billion for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.
