Walker Orenstein
@walkerorenstein.bsky.social
Reporter for the Star Tribune covering energy. From St. Paul, but a Washington Husky. Email: walker.orenstein@startribune.com
With gas it can often be somewhat bland capital projects, here's the short version from Xcel in a couple of screencaps but link for more detailed info. efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...
They say they shouldn't have similar capital needs in the next few years after this
They say they shouldn't have similar capital needs in the next few years after this
October 31, 2025 at 8:14 PM
With gas it can often be somewhat bland capital projects, here's the short version from Xcel in a couple of screencaps but link for more detailed info. efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...
They say they shouldn't have similar capital needs in the next few years after this
They say they shouldn't have similar capital needs in the next few years after this
Yep, if approved
October 31, 2025 at 8:00 PM
Yep, if approved
These rate increases don't reflect the cost of gas, which is passed to customers directly and varies with the price of the commodity.
October 31, 2025 at 7:38 PM
These rate increases don't reflect the cost of gas, which is passed to customers directly and varies with the price of the commodity.
In February, the Minnesota PUC approved an 8.17% rate hike for Xcel's natural gas customers. That was slightly lower than what Xcel initially had asked for in November 2023.
www.startribune.com/minnesota-ut...
www.startribune.com/minnesota-ut...
Minnesota utility regulators approve 8.17% rate hike for Xcel gas customers
Affected customers have already been paying a temporarily higher rate while the hike was being debated.
www.startribune.com
October 31, 2025 at 7:38 PM
In February, the Minnesota PUC approved an 8.17% rate hike for Xcel's natural gas customers. That was slightly lower than what Xcel initially had asked for in November 2023.
www.startribune.com/minnesota-ut...
www.startribune.com/minnesota-ut...
Not all in GOP oppose the transmission plan, however. Officials representing Indiana, Iowa and Kentucky defended it.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said "more than 7 [gigawatts] of proposed energy generation projects would be stalled by months to even years."
www.startribune.com/attempt-by-n...
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said "more than 7 [gigawatts] of proposed energy generation projects would be stalled by months to even years."
www.startribune.com/attempt-by-n...
Minnesota clashes with North Dakota over power lines
The fight is the latest example of how the switch to clean energy has made basic grid infrastructure a partisan battleground.
www.startribune.com
October 22, 2025 at 2:11 PM
Not all in GOP oppose the transmission plan, however. Officials representing Indiana, Iowa and Kentucky defended it.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said "more than 7 [gigawatts] of proposed energy generation projects would be stalled by months to even years."
www.startribune.com/attempt-by-n...
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said "more than 7 [gigawatts] of proposed energy generation projects would be stalled by months to even years."
www.startribune.com/attempt-by-n...
The fight is another example of how basic grid infrastructure has become more partisan.
As local energy priorities diverge, it’s also straining the cooperation that’s essential for a regional grid that connects 15 states and Canada’s Manitoba province.
www.startribune.com/attempt-by-n...
As local energy priorities diverge, it’s also straining the cooperation that’s essential for a regional grid that connects 15 states and Canada’s Manitoba province.
www.startribune.com/attempt-by-n...
Minnesota clashes with North Dakota over power lines
The fight is the latest example of how the switch to clean energy has made basic grid infrastructure a partisan battleground.
www.startribune.com
October 22, 2025 at 2:11 PM
The fight is another example of how basic grid infrastructure has become more partisan.
As local energy priorities diverge, it’s also straining the cooperation that’s essential for a regional grid that connects 15 states and Canada’s Manitoba province.
www.startribune.com/attempt-by-n...
As local energy priorities diverge, it’s also straining the cooperation that’s essential for a regional grid that connects 15 states and Canada’s Manitoba province.
www.startribune.com/attempt-by-n...
The city of Hermantown won't say Mortenson has proposed a data center but said zoning planned for the land calls for places that house or operate computers, data and transaction processing, along with digital storage.... www.startribune.com/northern-min...
Northern Minnesota mystery project identified as data center
Mystery has been swirling around the project for months amid zoning changes and offers to buy homes.
www.startribune.com
September 23, 2025 at 8:36 PM
The city of Hermantown won't say Mortenson has proposed a data center but said zoning planned for the land calls for places that house or operate computers, data and transaction processing, along with digital storage.... www.startribune.com/northern-min...
At the same time, the average Xcel customer past due on their bill owed $270 in 2019. That figure was nearly double between 2021 and 2024.
www.startribune.com/xcel-is-cutt...
www.startribune.com/xcel-is-cutt...
September 18, 2025 at 5:21 PM
At the same time, the average Xcel customer past due on their bill owed $270 in 2019. That figure was nearly double between 2021 and 2024.
www.startribune.com/xcel-is-cutt...
www.startribune.com/xcel-is-cutt...
"Taken together, the messages are incoherent. This is irony-poisoned nihilism, tactical gear as shitposting—the only cause this person seems to have is to troll the viewer." www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
The Mass Shooters Are Performing for One Another
The goal of these attacks is to join a lineage of infamous killers.
www.theatlantic.com
September 4, 2025 at 6:31 PM
"Taken together, the messages are incoherent. This is irony-poisoned nihilism, tactical gear as shitposting—the only cause this person seems to have is to troll the viewer." www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...
Comments like these are a small window into the struggle this summer for an upper hand in a deal that would take Duluth’s only publicly traded company private under an ownership group led by a subsidiary of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager: www.startribune.com/as-state-wei...
August 26, 2025 at 1:40 PM
Comments like these are a small window into the struggle this summer for an upper hand in a deal that would take Duluth’s only publicly traded company private under an ownership group led by a subsidiary of BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager: www.startribune.com/as-state-wei...