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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

This will be rolling around in my brain for a long time

“On one side we have the folks that support our rights to collectively bargain and labor standards,” said Tom Dicklich, executive director of the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council. “On the other side, [Republicans] may not do that, but they support the projects.”

Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Mayor Her's letter to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission explains how "the frequency, duration, and variety of billing errors the City has encountered go well beyond isolated, one-off mistakes" and urges a third-party probe of Xcel efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...

Based on this experience, the City respectfully urges the Commission to require an independent, third-party investigation into Xcel Energy's billing practices. As detailed in the reports and filings already in this
docket, and as summarized below, the frequency, duration, and variety of billing errors the City has encountered go well beyond isolated, one-off mistakes. They point to systemic problems in Xcel's billing
systems and processes that Xcel has not resolved on its own and that, in the City's view, cannot be fully understood or corrected without independent review.

During the past two years, City of Saint Paul staff have needed to directly contact their Xcel accountmanager or the Business Solution Center hundreds of times seeking explanations or resolutions on billing-related issues. For some accounts, there are examples of communications back-and-forth with Xcel over aperiod of six or more months.

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

CenterPoint Energy just notified the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission that it charged customers an extra fee on card payments *663,452 times* after it agreed to stop. That's ~$1.3 million overpaid. No one at the utility noticed for almost a year? efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...

Prior to implementation of this settlement provision, the third-party vendor collected from customers
both the payment amount and the $1.95 service fee. Beginning September 1, 2025, when final rates
became effective, the third-party vendor was expected to collect the customer payment and bill
CenterPoint Energy directly for the $1.95 service fee.
On August 14, 2026, the Commission’s Consumer Affairs Office received a customer complaint
regarding the continued assessment of the service fee. Following review, the Company determined
that the third-party vendor had not implemented the billing charge as intended on September 1, 2025.
Upon identifying the issue, CenterPoint Energy promptly contacted the vendor and directed it to
discontinue charging the service fee to customers. The vendor completed that change on September
7, 2026.
The total number of card transactions charged to customers between September 1, 2025, and
September 7, 2026, was 663,452. Although the Company does not believe this matter constitutes a
utility billing error, customers incurred fees that CenterPoint Energy had agreed to waive under the
Settlement. Accordingly, the Company will provide affected current customers with a bill credit for the amount of the service fee charged, plus applicable interest, consistent with the remedial approach
set forth in Minnesota Administrative Rules Section 7820.4000, subpart 2. In addition, any affected
former customer who is owed more than $2 will be mailed, to the customer’s last known address, a
refund check or given notice explaining how to request a refund of the service fee, plus applicable
interest.

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Complaints made to regulators against Xcel are likely the tip of the iceberg. They only represent people who have the time and know-how to file. Several say they got so frustrated with Xcel that they gave up trying to resolve their issues. How many others have been overcharged with no recourse?

I’ve done that math, and know that we over paid by thousands of dollars, both in rate prices but also being charged
taxes for heating expenses which is against state law.
I raised this with Xcel’s customer support, but after a frustrating conversation I decided to drop it because I don’t
have time to deal with their inconsiderate support.

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

State utility regulators in Colorado, where Xcel is also a major utility provider, opened a similar inquiry last year after noting an eye-popping increase in complaints from Xcel customers in their state. puc.colorado.gov/sites/puc/fi...

PUC Consumer Affairs raised concern regarding increased customer
complaints about Public Service Company of CO. Data from the
Company’s most recent Quality of Service Plan (QSP) report shows an increase of 227% in complaints per 1,000 customers between 2022 and 2024.

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Xcel customers across Minnesota are sharing similar stories about billing errors and poor service with state regulators, who opened an investigation after an uptick in complaints. The comments rolling in here are Kafka-esque and infuriating to read: efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents?do...

I strongly urge the Commission to investigate Xcel’s billing and customer service practices. On February 27, 2026, Xcel billed me $5,155.95 for four months of service at my prior residence. When I contacted Xcel the next day, a representative identified a data-entry error: staff had failed to carry the final reading from my old meter forward as the initial reading on my new meter, causing the bill to include charges for 28,205 kWh that I had already paid.
While attempting to resolve this error,
• Xcel scheduled an automatic March payment of $5,155.95, which I was unable to shut off.
o On March 14, I called Xcel, and they stopped automatic payments from my account.
• On March 17, Xcel sent me a “corrected” bill for $5,100.41.
o On April 4, I sent a formal letter to Xcel requesting that Xcel remove the 28,205 kWh I had previously paid from my account.
• On April 23, Xcel sent me a bill that included a late charge of $76.51 (1.5% of the erroneous $5,100.41 balance), and on April 24 issued a Disconnection Notice for services at my current residence unless I pay the past-due amount of $5.100.41 or make payment arrangements by 5/8/2026.
o On May 4, I called Xcel to get the scheduled disconnection cancelled.
• On May 5, Xcel sent a bill that removed the incorrect charge of $5,100.41, but not the late fee charged on that amount.
o On May 8, I called Xcel and requested removal of the late charge of $76.51. The representative stated that there were no late charges on my account and I owed Xcel that money. I told the representative that I disagreed and was disputing the charge.
o On May 23, I called Xcel and requested an escrow payment form, as described in Minnesota Administrative Rules 7820.2800. Neither the representative nor the senior staff member he contacted knew about this form.

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

This is literally in the playbook Flock provides to local police departments to defend its product from legitimate concerns about mass surveillance and collusion with ICE www.404media.co/own-the-narr...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Consumers Energy dark money affiliates spent over a quarter of a million dollars in one Michigan state house primary to sink data center critic Steve Carra but it sure did not work

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

Michigan utilities have now pumped $115,000 into a campaign opposing limits on their political spending, per filings made public today. This includes $65,000 total from Consumers Energy parent company CMS Energy Corp and $50,000 from DTE Energy dark money offshoot Michigan Energy First.

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

Depicting a dangerous heat wave this way is kinda the same vibe as when a guy kills his family and then the press runs a photo of him golfing or rolling around with a golden retriever or whatever

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

It is totally irresponsible to make this life-threatening heat wave look like a fun time

Minnesota Star Tribune homepage pairs a headline about "dangerous heat" with a photo of children having fun in a pool

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 02/03/2026

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

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

I’ve seen enough: @olsenforparks.bsky.social gets the biggest possible hell yeah from me

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 28/10/2025

Consumers Energy has dumped $15,000 into a campaign opposing a Michigan ballot initiative that would limit utility political giving, much of which has gone toward paying legal fees to the same attorney who helps run Consumers' dark money nonprofit www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 01/10/2025

A group of state lawmakers is urging the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to deny BlackRock's controversial bid to take over Minnesota Power, saying among other things that "the risks and harms would outweigh the minimal, short-term benefits" efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 19/09/2025

Proponents of BlackRock's takeover of Minnesota Power like to note the state Dept of Commerce supports the deal. But AG Ellison's office and others say many of the provisions that got Commerce on board are either already required or provide no benefit efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 18/09/2025

Xcel actually argues that it is better for struggling customers to have their electricity shut off if they can't afford their bills. Electricity, which is essential to living life in the year 2025. This is mindbogglingly paternalistic and callous. www.startribune.com/xcel-is-cutt...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

While CenterPoint remains a huge barrier to Minneapolis' clean energy transition, Mayor Frey delivered a proclamation earlier this year to honor a retiring CenterPoint lobbyist that noted his "impressive career" and "winning smile" www.documentcloud.org/documents/26...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 16/09/2025

It's been over 10 years since Xcel Energy and CenterPoint Energy signed agreements to help advance the City of Minneapolis' clean energy goals yet a new report shows they're still way behind on every metric except the ones the city most fully controls mplscleanenergypartnership.org/documents/20...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 11/09/2025

Minnesota Public Utilities Commission staff on BlackRock's proposal to buy Minnesota Power: "the private equity model is a poor choice for regulated utilities in general" efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...

"All of this suggests that the private equity model is a poor choice for regulated utilities in general. The question for the Commission is whether the facts of this case suggest that this deal is any different, and whether there are conditions which can be placed on this transaction that would provide adequate protection should it prove to be the case that Partners’ plans are more ‘private equity’-like than they currently admit."

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 26/08/2025

In a filing submitted yesterday, Xcel Energy continued to imply that only a small minority of its customers have a problem with paying more for its top executives' compensation www.edockets.state.mn.us/documents/%7...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

Legislators who represent Minnesota Power's hometown of Duluth urged state regulators to reject a private equity proposal to buy the utility, saying the deal "poses significant risks to Minnesota Power ratepayers, employees, and the public at large" efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

It appears that a lawyer for the private equity group trying to buy Minnesota Power rewrote labor unions' comments to strengthen their support for the controversial deal. This lawyer is also a former Minnesota utility regulator. As noted by @curemn.org: www.edockets.state.mn.us/submissions/...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Michigan AG Dana Nessel questioned Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's appointment of political ally Shaquila Myers as the state's newest utility regulator after Myers used her influence as a legislative staffer to benefit DTE Energy and Consumers Energy www.detroitnews.com/story/news/p...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 16/07/2025

In urging state regulators to reject a private equity takeover of Minnesota Power, a judge questioned whether the controversial deal's proponents "felt obligated to support Minnesota Power due to the financial support they are provided by the company" efiling.web.commerce.state.mn.us/documents/%7...

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

Apropos of… everything, Community Aid Network MN provides food, diapers, and other essentials to hundreds of families per week. Kicking in a few bucks will help them meet growing need and might make you feel a little better too.

Flower on orange background with text explaining you can donate to @ CANMN on Venmo or PayPal

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Karlee Weinmann @karleeweinmann.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

Minnesota regulators approved CenterPoint's plan to inflate customer-funded rebates for gas furnaces over the objections of climate and consumer advocates. The decision cites supportive comments from appliance installers and others, including those apparently ghostwritten by a CenterPoint lobbyist.

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