Legalectric

Two electric service agreements (ESA) have landed at the Public Utilities Commission, where the utilities are asking that the Commission approve the agreements, and today, a “Notice of Objection Period” has been announced.

A few days ago, another Notice – this time a substantive comment period. These two ESAs are running somewhat together — mark your calendars.

One of them is Minnesota Power, for its Hermantown data center, a Google (Harmony Group, Alphabet), PUC Docket M-26-159.

The other is from Xcel, for the Pine Island Google (Echo Zone) data center in Pine Island, PUC Docket M-26-170.

Commerce wants authorization to dig deep, hiring experts “to analyze the allocation of costs related to connecting data centers to the electrical grid. The Notice is telling the world that if they object, speak NOW!

Seems a good idea, given this is just getting started and we need to do it “right,” whatever that may be.

Let’s get to the guts of the matter. Here are the Petitions, followed by the notice of comment period — first, Minnesota Power, for Hermantown, M-26-159:

And next, Xcel – M-26-170 – and only the Objection notice so far, no Notice of Comment Period… YET!: