MINNEAPOLIS ENERGY PATHWAYS - A Framework for Local Energy Action

The City of Minneapolis has expressed ambitious objectives for its energy system, seeking to reduce climate and environmental impacts, improve the equity of energy services for residents and businesses, retain affordability, and maintain or improve service reliability.

However, the City currently faces a major challenge in that it must rely almost entirely on two investor-owned energy utilities, Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy, to meet these objectives. The City and these two utilities have historically worked in separate venues, with the City setting local goals and expectations for energy use, and the utilities focused primarily on complying with statewide and national regulations for service and environmental performance. If Minneapolis is to become a leading sustainable energy city, this lack of coordination must be addressed. This study identifies several ways the City can do this.