Utilities

The Department of Health and Human Services released $3.6 billion in LIHEAP heating assistance to states and tribes to help families pay to heat their homes, a move NEADA executive director Mark Wolfe called "essential and long overdue." HHS had not yet issued a formal announcement when NEADA confirmed the release; a bipartisan group of House members had urged the funds be released by Nov. 30 amid NEADA projections that winter heating costs will rise about 10.5% (electricity +13.6%/~$1,208, propane +7.3%/~$1,442, natural gas +7.2%/~$644) and noting that roughly 68% of LIHEAP households also receive SNAP, with shutdown-related delays increasing hardship.

President Trump signed a stopgap funding bill ending the 43‑day shutdown, OPM directed federal employees to return Thursday and agencies will issue back pay in four tranches beginning by Nov. 19 while the measure reverses shutdown‑era firings and bars new layoffs through January. The package restarts programs including SNAP, releases $3.6 billion in LIHEAP heating aid to states and tribes, and extends funding through Jan. 30, though SNAP and other benefits may take days or longer to reach recipients and a separate vote on ACA premium subsidies is expected in December.

The St. Paul City Council voted 7–0 on Nov. 19 to allow tenants in duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes to share trash carts starting Jan. 1, 2026, with defined overflow penalties and potential revocation if carts repeatedly overflow. The ordinance also lets adjacent properties under the same owner request dumpster service from the city and, if unavailable, seek city‑approved private service; owners of 5+ unit buildings may opt into coordinated collection to share carts.

Marine on St. Croix is installing a 180‑foot cellular tower on city‑owned land near its compost site and septic drainfield, officials said November 13, 2025. AT&T will be the core tenant, other carriers may co‑locate, and the city will receive $22,000 per year for the land lease; the site lies outside the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway boundary and is intended to improve public safety communications on the river and in town.

Xcel Energy filed with the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to recover costs for a new distributed battery program, Capacity*Connect, that would deploy dozens of 1–3 MW batteries at commercial sites statewide and scale to 50–200 MW by 2028, forming a utility‑controlled virtual power plant. Xcel says the plan will bolster reliability and help meet the 2040 carbon‑free mandate while shifting purchases to lower‑cost periods, but watchdogs question the value for ratepayers and note Xcel’s Colorado virtual power plant is far cheaper per megawatt and includes broader customer‑side resources.

Xcel Energy says construction equipment at HealthPartners’ new Lakeview Hospital site in Stillwater struck power lines Friday, cutting electricity to about 3,000 customers for roughly two hours and damaging a power pole. A controlled outage Sunday affected about 300 customers for under an hour to complete repairs, and crews plan to replace the damaged pole on Tuesday; residents report multiple outages since work began this summer near MN 36 and Manning Ave.

Of the 773 residents evacuated after a small Sunday fire that began on the 12th floor and activated sprinklers on multiple floors—causing a building-wide power outage that knocked out heat, water, fire alarms and elevators—all 141 households in the east tower had returned by Friday, while the west tower remains closed for repairs because of significant sprinkler water damage. St. Paul inspectors certified the building structurally sound, no injuries were reported, the fire is under investigation with no signs of suspicious activity, and CommonBond and the city continue to coordinate housing, donations and assistance for displaced residents.

Xcel Energy has promoted Bria Shea to regional president overseeing its operations in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Shea brings more than 15 years of experience at Xcel Energy to the role.

St. Paul Regional Water Services opened its new $250 million McCarrons water treatment plant on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, upgrading core drinking water infrastructure for St. Paul and nearby suburbs. The facility’s commissioning marks a major capital project for the utility intended to enhance service reliability and capacity for metro customers.

Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy agreed to a $640 million settlement on Sept. 25, 2025, resolving litigation alleging the utility sparked the Denver-area’s devastating Marshall Fire, reached on the eve of a jury trial. The settlement is a significant financial development for the primary electric utility serving the Twin Cities and could influence regulatory and rate considerations.

Twin Cities–based Pentair announced on Sept. 18, 2025, that it acquired Illinois-based Hydra-Stop from Madison Industries. Pentair says the acquired business is expected to generate about $50 million in 2025 revenue with roughly a 30% return on sales, signaling strategic expansion of its water-related offerings.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is holding a public meeting from 6:30–8:30 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 15, at the Washington County Heritage Center Education Center in Stillwater on Xcel Energy’s proposed two-year electric rate increases. Xcel seeks 9.6% in 2025 ($353.3M; about $9.89/month for the average residential customer) and 3.6% in 2026 ($137.5M; about $3.90/month), totaling 13.2% ($490.7M). Public comments are open through Dec. 30, evidentiary hearings are Dec. 17–19, and the PUC’s order deadline is July 31, 2026.