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Annie Levenson-Falk, executive director of the Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota, testifies before the Legislature.

Every week, someone in Minnesota opens their energy bill and their stomach drops: the total is higher than expected with mysterious charges like “interim rate adjustment” and “sales true up.” 

For Minnesotans already struggling with the high cost of living and rising inflation, an unexpected increase on their energy bill can mean choosing between groceries, rent or keeping the lights on.

Rising utility costs are making national news, and Minnesota is no exception. In 2024 alone, more than 91,000 Minnesotans had their service disconnected because of past-due balances. That’s more than any year in at least a decade – and the number is even higher if you include shutoffs from municipal and cooperative utilities.

The Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota – CUB for short – is the state’s independent nonprofit advocate for utility consumers. 

CUB represents consumers’ interest at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission and the state Legislature, where we fight against unreasonable rate increases, excessive corporate profits and unfair treatment from utilities. 

We work for a rapid, cost-effective transition to clean energy that benefits Minnesotans. And we directly serve communities across the state, helping customers avoid service disconnection, navigate energy programming and upgrade their home energy.

While utilities can employ teams of lobbyists to sit at the Legislature and the Public Utilities Commission, most Minnesotans can’t easily speak up in these forums. That’s why we exist: to be a voice for regular people in the decisions that impact energy consumers.

Advocacy
Since our founding, we’ve fought off unfair utility charges for ratepayers in nearly all of Minnesota’s 87 counties. We’ve advocated at the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (the state’s utility regulator) against unfair corporate profits, cost overruns and other unreasonable utility charges. 
We’re a strong believer that Minnesotans shouldn’t have to pay more than their fair share to line corporate executives’ pockets – and that Minnesotans should receive fair, decent treatment from the utility that serves them.

A few years back, we saved Minnesota Power customers $1 million in cost overruns. We won major improvements to Xcel Energy’s disconnection policies, which make it easier for customers to avoid shutoff. And we pushed the PUC and the gas utilities to start planning today for a careful, equitable and rapid clean energy transition.

We’re also active at the Minnesota Legislature. This past session, we won nation-leading protections against the rising cost of electricity associated with new data centers. 

We also changed the law to ensure that utility affordability programs are still accessible to Minnesotans even in the face of federal changes or cuts.

CUB collaborates with clean energy and environmental advocates throughout Minnesota, but our focus is uniquely on consumers and their energy bills. Our advocacy is grounded in real conversations with Minnesotans, no matter what their background or situation is.

Information & Advice
Every week, CUB’s staff work with Minnesotans to address and solve their home energy concerns. We field calls, emails and Facebook messages from consumers who are behind on their bills or are facing a service disconnection, and we help them get to the right resources to ensure they can keep the lights on.

Our Energy Bill Consultations offer a simple, one-on-one opportunity to talk with our expert staff about any energy concerns. We talk about energy programming to make bills more affordable, opportunities to reduce your energy usage and strategies to improve your home’s energy efficiency. 

And we’re active across the state – attending resource fairs, giving presentations and holding workshops where folks from all backgrounds can learn about their utility, their bills and their home energy. 

So far in 2025, we’ve reached every corner of the state: from Duluth to Blue Earth, Akeley to Rochester, Fergus Falls to Minneapolis, and plenty more.

These conversations with consumers from all walks of life directly inform our advocacy. We take the stories we hear on the phones and read in our inboxes and translate them into action.

Our Impact
Combined, our advocacy and service has made a measurable difference for households across the state. Since our founding in 2016, we’ve directly assisted more than 22,000 Minnesotans with their energy concerns. 

We’ve helped save Minnesotans more than $350 million in rate increases, excessive corporate profits and cost overruns. 

During the pandemic, we helped achieve nation-leading protections for Minnesota energy consumers, including a moratorium on utility shutoffs, the waiver of fees and other important protections.
We also do the technical, behind-the-scenes work necessary to ensure quality service. We worked to make utility efficiency programming – that’s the rebates for home appliances – more equitable and accessible for customers. We spearheaded a law that makes it easier for Tribal nations and nonprofits with financial need to intervene and advocate at the PUC. And, we’re a part of ensuring the clean energy transition is rapid but still accessible and equitable for Minnesotans. 

We helped pass Minnesota’s Carbon-Free Electricity standard, prevented the construction of unnecessary gas system expansion, and continued to educate communities about the importance of clean energy options not only at utility scale, but in individual households as well.

What’s Next?
The utility system is in a moment of upheaval. Data centers threaten to put a strain on the electric grid. Federal cuts have resulted in reduced funds for clean energy projects for both utilities and households. And threats to the federal Energy Assistance program could leave thousands of Minnesotans with huge past due bills and shutoffs, even during the winter months.

As you read this, one in eight Minnesota households are behind on their energy bills. Without action, these numbers will only grow as costs rise and programs weaken.

CUB will keep fighting to make sure that every day Minnesotans aren’t left behind in this changing energy landscape. We hold utilities accountable, demand transparency, and push for regulations that put energy consumers before utility and shareholder profits. 

We’ll continue to meet Minnesotans wherever they’re at – on the phone, online, or in person – so that households can access the services and programs they need to keep the lights on.

Energy is a basic necessity to make sure our lives run smoothly. No Minnesotan should have to choose between food, rent or keeping the lights on.  

CUB strives to be the voice for regular people.

We’re here to support consumers of all backgrounds. If you have a disconnection notice, have issues with your utility, wonder why you’re paying so much or are looking for ideas to switch to clean energy appliances, reach out today.

Call us at 651-300-4701 (toll free at 844-MINN-CUB), email us at info@cubminnesota.org, or visit our website at cubminnesota.org. 

James Birr is the Outreach and Communications Manager with the Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota. He’s been with the organization since 2023. In this role, James supports CUB’s mission to help Minnesotans navigate their energy and utility needs. In addition to consumer outreach, James manages CUB’s communications channels, including the website, newsletters and social media.