Dive Summary:
- The debate over whether Minneapolis should take over electric and natural gas service from Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy went before the public Thursday morning in a hearing at City Hall, preceded by a 9 a.m. clean energy rally.
- City agreements with the utilities expire soon, and an environmental coalition called Minneapolis Energy Options and city leaders have been considering a municipal utility that would make it easier to pursue environmentally friendly energy initiatives.
- Xcel Energy, which is based in the city, has threatened to leave and take 2,000 jobs with it if a municipal utility is established, and the issue could go to the ballots in November.
From the article:
... “I think people who are supportive of this idea of municipalization have rose-colored glasses about the challenges that exist and are not being realistic about the path to actually do it,” said Council President Barb Johnson.
But Council Member Gary Schiff said the city’s never driven a hard bargain with the utility companies.
“It’s just been a rubber-stamped, closed-door deal in the past, and so this is the first time that a campaign is rising from the grass roots to say, ‘Well, hold on before you just renew that deal for another 20 years, why don’t you actually negotiate for some improvements in the deal?’” he said. ...