We do not want the ticket price to stop anyone from joining us. If you need a complimentary ticket, please email James Birr at jamesb@cubminnesota.org.

📣📣It's that time of year: Come celebrate CUB's 10 year anniversary at the Consumers Celebration!

Connect with fellow Minnesotans passionate about environmental & consumer advocacy, and celebrate all we've accomplished together since CUB launched in 2016.

Reserve your spot here: bit.ly/cub-2026

If you or someone you know is struggling with utility bills, contact CUB: 651-300-4701 or contact@cubminnesota.org. cubminnesota.org/contact-cub

Last month, CUB’s Outreach and Communications Manager James Birr spoke before the Public Utilities Commission and shared the stories of Minnesotans struggling with their utility bills.

Energy affordability isn’t just a buzzword - it’s a reality for countless Minnesotans across the state.

The Minnesota Senate is advancing $15 million in Energy Assistance funding, as utility shutoffs have reached new highs. More from the @minnesotareformer.com #mnleg

Regulators, legislators take up energy assistance as need rises • Minnesota Reformer The PUC and the Legislature are working on parallel tracks to make the energy assistance program more robust and work better.

Minnesota gas and electric utilities disconnected 90,433 customers in 2025. This number could be much higher this year as many Minnesotans remain in hiding. Legislators and regulators are working to bolster energy assistance programs to fill the gap. minnesotareformer.com/2026/04/14/r...

Co-signers include:
🔹@ag.state.mn.us
🔹MN Department of Commerce
🔹@freshenergy.bsky.social
🔹@elpcenter.bsky.social
🔹Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy
🔹@votesolar.bsky.social

The letter: efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...

With new law in effect, data centers shouldn’t mean higher electric bills for the rest of us • Minnesota Reformer The Minnesota utilities set to power two proposed Google data centers near Rochester and Duluth say the massive computing facilities won’t raise regular customers’ electricity bills.  There’s good rea...

Data centers are required by MN law to pay their full energy costs. In practice, ensuring that happens will be complex. That's why CUB co-signed a letter to the PUC asking that the rules of the road be determined before reviewing Google's proposed project terms. minnesotareformer.com/2026/03/27/w...

Lights On, Homes Warm: Utility Bill Fund Donate to CUB Minnesota's Lights On, Homes Warm utility bill fund to help our neighbors keep up with their energy bills.In addition to rent and groceries, gas and electric bills are an increasing need...

Your donation helps us keep up this work. Please consider donating to the Lights On, Homes Warm utility bill fund today: www.zeffy.com/en-US/donati...

Moving forward, we hope to implement changes so that financial support arrives sooner & the process is more transparent. We’re putting a pause on intake as we make adjustments & intend to resume accepting applications soon. Financial support is dependent on the funds that we have available.

So far, at least $44,000 has been distributed directly to utilities. However, we recognize that a lot of the funding that’s been applied for has been slow to arrive. We’ve ran into various bureaucratic hurdles, and we apologize for those delays.

Since we launched the Lights On, Homes Warm fund, we’ve taken calls from hundreds of Minnesotans who need help with their energy bills. So far, we’ve taken 159 applications w/ a total of $61,750 committed to help pay down electric and natural gas bills.

Energy Affordability Legislative Agenda

Thank you to Energy Committee Co-Chair Representative @pattyacomb.bsky.social and her House colleagues for making energy affordability a top priority this session. We look forward to working with you to expand the Energy Assistance program. More here: cubminnesota.org/energy-affor...

Tomorrow! Join CUB for a utility bill training. Get up to speed on assistance options, your rights, and how to avoid disconnection. Register here: tunheim.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

It’s time to sunset the Gas Utility Infrastructure Cost rider - Fresh Energy It is time to move discussions about gas infrastructure investments back into rate cases – send your legislator a message and tell them it’s time to sunset the policy.

🚨Action alert! 🚨 It is time to move discussions about gas infrastructure investments back into rate cases – send your legislator a message and tell them it’s time to sunset the policy.

Tomorrow! Join CUB for a utility bill training. Get up to speed on assistance options, your rights, and how to avoid disconnection. Register here: tunheim.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

Our conversations aren't limited to financial support. We're educating Minnesotans on their rights, and explaining the options that have for paying down overdue utility bills. Your donation protects Minnesotans from shutoffs. Please donate today: bit.ly/UtilityBillF...

The Lights On, Homes Warm fund has raised $35k to help our neighbors avoid shutoffs, but almost all the funds we've raised have been committed. Please donate what you can so we can help more Minnesotans.

In Minnesota, the total past-due balance on utility bills grew by over $17 million from December to January. The need is very real.

In Minnesota, the total past-due balance on utility bills grew by over $17 million from December to January. The need is very real.

We have come together & collectively raised $34,634 to support Minnesotans who can’t keep up with utility bills. That's enough to support ~68 households.

Please know: the need is great. The funds that have been raised are nearly all committed now, and CUB's phone line rings all day, every day.

Another winter storm is impacting Minnesotans’ natural gas bills

Has your gas bill been higher than normal? The combo of Winter Storm Fern & bitter cold in January drove up your bill.

The price of natural gas is impacted by events outside of our control. MN has faced multiple gas price spikes in recent years, costing us millions. More below: shorturl.at/MaNQX

Utility Bill Assistance & Know Your Rights Webinar | March 12, 6:30pm Text over a blue background. Picture of a utility bill with cash spread out over it.

Are you struggling to keep up with utility bills? Are you helping your neighbors behind on their electric or gas bills?

Register for CUB's Utility Bill Training to get up to speed on the ins-and-outs of utility bills. Register here: www.bit.ly/UtilityBillTraining

📅March 12 6:30pm
📍Zoom Webinar

Immigrant families in MN are facing yet another crisis you haven't heard much about: utility shutoffs.

ICE has forced folks out of work for months but bills are due. @cubmn.bsky.social has raised enough for 60+ households, but thousands more need help keeping the lights on: bit.ly/UtilityBillFundMN

Art & Community Resistance: Zine Making Session Join the Center for Earth, Energy & Democracy (CEED), the Citizens Utility Board of Minnesota (CUB Minnesota), and the Energy CENTS Coalition in a zine-making session at Bichota Coffee to uplift the e...

Funds raised at the event will be donated to the Lights On, Homes Warm fund for utility bill relief.

📆 Wednesday, March 4th
⏰ 6 PM - 8 PM
📍Bichota Coffee, 3740 Chicago Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55407

Register here: shorturl.at/1PkQe

📣 THIS WEDNESDAY: Join CUB, @ceed-justice.bsky.social, and the Energy CENTS Coalition for a zine-making session to uplift the efforts to keep families together during Operation Metro Surge. Contribute your art and stories into a collective zine on Community Resistance.

Xcel 2025 Earnings Report reveals increasing profits amidst ongoing MN rate case On February 5, 2026, Xcel released its annual earnings report for 2025. In it, the company reported $2.24 billion in annual profits—or $3.80 in earnings per share (EPS) of outstanding Xcel stock— for…

Read more about Xcel’s increasing corporate profits and how it could impact your utility bill: cubminnesota.org/xcel-2025-ea...

ICYMI: Xcel Energy’s 2025 earnings report came out earlier this month. The company reported $2.24 billion in annual profits, up compared to 2024.

At the same time, Xcel is at the Minnesota PUC seeking to raise rates for both electric service and gas service.

Last year, over 90k Minnesota households were disconnected. The picture is clear: Many Minnesotans are struggling to keep up with their utility bills.

Dig into the data on CUB’s website: cubminnesota.org/latest#disco...

#energy #minnesota #affordability

🚨 10,143: That’s how many Minnesota households have had their electricity or natural gas service shut off this winter.

In Minnesota, there is no automatic pause on disconnections in the winter. Customers must contact their utility to set up and maintain a payment plan.

The Lights On, Homes Warm fund is just one of the mutual aid funds this bar crawl will support ♥️ Swing by Saturday!