Weigh in on Xcel's Integrated Resource Plan
On February 11, 2021, Fresh Energy and partners filed expert comments with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Xcel Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). IRPs lay out how major utilities, like Xcel, plan to invest in electricity generation over the next 15 years. You can learn more about IRPs in our explainer post here.
Through these plans, Minnesotans and organizations like Fresh Energy can influence actions such as more renewables, closing coal plants, not building new fossil gas infrastructure, and more. Are you an Xcel Energy customer? If so, we urge you to weigh in on Xcel’s IRP and speak up on a few crucial issues before the June 25 deadline.
While there are some positive aspects of Xcel Energy’s plan, including commitment to a 100% carbon-free electricity system, historic levels of energy efficiency, coal plant retirements, and an increase in renewable electricity, there is still significant room for improvement in some areas.
- Proposed new fossil gas plant in Becker, Minnesota. This $1.5-2 billion fossil plant would be designed to operate through 2067 or longer and was pushed through the legislature in 2017 without any meaningful analysis to support it, or any review of carbon-free alternatives. The gas plant would emit millions of tons of greenhouse gases, contributing to the climate crisis and further undermining Minnesota's ability to reach its emission reduction goals.
- Expanding investments in energy efficiency programs and making the planning process more inclusive. Xcel should continue to expand investments in energy efficiency programs for under-resourced customers and rental properties, but also implement a planning process that is more transparent and inclusive for customers who haven't traditionally engaged in the past—including historically marginalized communities and under-resourced individuals and groups.
Need more info? Take a deeper dive into the details of Xcel's IRP and the in-depth analysis done by Fresh Energy and partners.
If you’re an Xcel customer, we urge you to speak up using the box to the right! Feel free to edit and customize the email text to best fit your concerns.
Weigh in on Xcel's Integrated Resource Plan
On February 11, 2021, Fresh Energy and partners filed expert comments with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on Xcel Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP). IRPs lay out how major utilities, like Xcel, plan to invest in electricity generation over the next 15 years. You can learn more about IRPs in our explainer post here.
Through these plans, Minnesotans and organizations like Fresh Energy can influence actions such as more renewables, closing coal plants, not building new fossil gas infrastructure, and more. Are you an Xcel Energy customer? If so, we urge you to weigh in on Xcel’s IRP and speak up on a few crucial issues before the June 25 deadline.
While there are some positive aspects of Xcel Energy’s plan, including commitment to a 100% carbon-free electricity system, historic levels of energy efficiency, coal plant retirements, and an increase in renewable electricity, there is still significant room for improvement in some areas.
- Proposed new fossil gas plant in Becker, Minnesota. This $1.5-2 billion fossil plant would be designed to operate through 2067 or longer and was pushed through the legislature in 2017 without any meaningful analysis to support it, or any review of carbon-free alternatives. The gas plant would emit millions of tons of greenhouse gases, contributing to the climate crisis and further undermining Minnesota's ability to reach its emission reduction goals.
- Expanding investments in energy efficiency programs and making the planning process more inclusive. Xcel should continue to expand investments in energy efficiency programs for under-resourced customers and rental properties, but also implement a planning process that is more transparent and inclusive for customers who haven't traditionally engaged in the past—including historically marginalized communities and under-resourced individuals and groups.
Need more info? Take a deeper dive into the details of Xcel's IRP and the in-depth analysis done by Fresh Energy and partners.
If you’re an Xcel customer, we urge you to speak up using the box to the right! Feel free to edit and customize the email text to best fit your concerns.