Yesterday morning on October 13, I attended the first information session of the energy affordability investigation held at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in downtown St Paul. I was joined by former Administrative Law Judge, Eric Lipman, who nowadays leads Utility Reform Now!
To my surprise there is a legal definition to go along with the common definition for the term “first impressions.” The lay one is: “the initial opinion or judgment you form when you meet someone or see something for the very first time.” The legal is: “the exact issue before the court has not been addressed by that court, or within that court’s jurisdiction, thus there is no binding authority on that matter.” Both definitions are pertinent.
The first of my “first impressions” was that the room was too small for such an important matter as the affordability of electricity and natural gas in this state. The room that I have been to twice before for an Xcel Energy rate case last summer is much larger. However, it did not appear, for whatever reasons, that many if any members of the general public attended.
Secondly, the atmosphere in the room, prior to the start and during the break, was quite jovial, and unusually so for such a somber topic. But with the significant caveat that PUC-system critics, like yours truly and Judge Lipman, appeared not to be particularly welcome at this event, nor apparently under any serious consideration for being a part of the panel of speakers.
Thirdly, the key narrative avoided the “elephant in the room” that electricity prices are high and rising in Minnesota due to too much wind and solar and not enough coal and nukes. Not to mention the regular assertion that these prices are not too bad in comparison to both general inflation and to many other states including in the Midwest. I have documented here dozens of times, using official EIA and BLS data, that neither of these fictions are facts.
I have been in-and-around American and Australian policy and politics throughout most of my career as an economist. I hope this PUC inquiry is not yet another, to use an Aussie parliamentary term, “Dorothy Dixer.” Those are friendly questions in parliament by someone from the same party: “designed to highlight government policies and achievements.”
Regardless of all that, I intend to, on behalf of the Center of the American Experiment, submit public comments by 4:30 pm on Friday, October 16, 2026. Please join me by doing the same. More information on this investigation can be found here, as well as how to make your voice heard here.
P.S. Ten of my more recent articles on the PUC and energy affordability follow next:
P.S.S. Six of my best charts are also provided below:
Chart 1: Minnesota electricity prices are more unaffordable than the Midwest and US
Chart 2: Twin Cities electricity prices have risen above general inflation
Chart 3: Minnesota electricity prices are very unaffordable compared to natural gas
Chart 4: Minnesota electricity use is declining due to unaffordability not efficiency
Chart 5: Minnesota electricity is unaffordable due to renewables and natural gas
Chart 6: Minnesota solar and wind renewables cause energy unaffordability
