MINNESOTA RATEPAYER FUNDED PROGRAMS

CURRENT PROGRAMS
Rate Assistance	Customer Affordability of Residential Electricity (CARE) Eligibility: Customer is LIHEAP eligible, completes the "Your Home Energy Report" questionnaire, and enrolls in budget payment plan. Discount based on usage. Electric Discount Program Eligibility: Xcel customer certified to receive LIHEAP that are at least 62 years old and/or disabled. Flat rate discount of $15 per month. Gas Affordability Programs CenterPoint Energy, Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation Eligibility: Customer that receives LIHEAP and agrees to a payment plan and schedule. Receive a credit determined by calculating the difference between the estimate of the customer’s annual bill and 6% of the customer’s household income. Great Plains Natural Gas Company, Xcel Energy. Eligibility: Customers that receive LIHEAP and agree to payment plan and schedule. Receive a credit determined at 1/12 of the difference between the company’s estimate of the customer’s annual bill and 4% of the customer’s household income. Greater Minnesota Gas Eligibility: Customers that are LIHEAP eligible Bill credit of $102 annually PowerOn Program - Xcel (electric) Eligibility: Customers receive LIHEAP and agree to a payment plan. Benefits vary depending on specific energy use, income level, and amount of arrears.
Arrears Management	CARE Arrears retired over a 24-month period by dividing the total arrearage amount by 24 and adding the total to the customer’s monthly bill. GAP CenterPoint Energy Monthly credit applied after a customer’s payment that retires arrears over a period of 12 months. Great Plains Monthly credit applied after receiving customer’s payment that retires arrears over a period of 24 months. Greater Minnesota Gas One-time bill credit of $102 at the end of the program year, if the customer makes 12 consecutive months of timely payments. Interstate Power and Light Matching credit is applied to the customer’s account each month after receiving the customer’s payment. Retires arrears over a period of 24 months. Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation Monthly credit applied after receiving customer’s payment that retires arrears over a period of 24 months. Xcel Energy Matching credit applied to the customer’s account each month after receiving the customer’s payment. Retires arrears over a period of 24 months.
Energy Efficiency	Energy Partners - Minnesota Power Eligibility: 200% FPG Services focus primarily on lighting, refrigeration, and water heating. Also include home energy audits, customer education, and energy kits. Low Income Segment Eligibility: 200% FPG or 50% SMI, whichever is greater for Xcel customers. Services include: energy audit; installation of programmable thermostats, high-efficiency showerheads; weather stripping; installation of CFLs. Low-Income Weatherization (LIWAP) CenterPoint Energy Eligibility: 200% FPG Services include: installation of various insulation; low-flow showerheads; caulking; installation of high-efficiency furnaces, boilers, and water heaters. Great Plains Natural Gas Eligibility: 200% FPG Services include: furnace repair/replacement, energy audits, insulation Greater Minnesota Gas Eligibility: 200% FPG Services include: energy audits; exterior wall and attic insulation; air sealing; participant education; low-income furnace replacement Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation Eligibility: 200% FPG Services include: weatherization measures, energy audits, home energy reports, and furnace and water heater replacements.
Participating Utilities	CenterPoint Energy: GAP, LIWAP Great Plains Natural Gas: GAP, LIWAP Greater Minnesota Gas: GAP, LIWAP Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation: GAP, LIWAP Minnesota Power: CARE, Energy Partners Xcel Energy: Electric Discount, PowerON, Low Income Segment, GAP
Annual Funding (2015)	Rate Assistance GAPs: $10.2 million CARE: $988,421 Electric Rate Discount: $5.3 million PowerON Program: $3.1 million Energy Efficiency LIWAPs: $4.5 million Energy Partners: $342,968 Low Income Segment: $4.2 million
Households Served (2015)	Rate Assistance GAPs: 27,177 CARE: 4,619 Electric Rate Discount: 52,960 PowerOn Program: 8,200 Energy Efficiency LIWAP: 2,766 Energy Partners: 8,536 Xcel Energy's Low-Income Segment: 6,296
Funding Mechanism	GAPs: Per therm charge on all customers GAP (Greater MN Gas): GAP rider CARE: "Affordability Surcharge" collected from all customers, except those that qualify for LIHEAP Electric Rate Discount and PowerON Program: "Low-Income Energy Discount" Rider on all customers. Energy Partners: "Conservation Improvement Program" rider on all customers Low Income Segment: "Conservation Cost Recovery Adjustment" on all customers LIWAP: "Conservation Cost Recovery Charge or Adjustment" on all customers LIWAP (CenterPoint): "Conservation Improvement Program" Rider on all customers, except for large customer facilities.
Administration	CARE, GAP: Utilities partner with local agencies or non-profits LIWAP: Utilities partner with local agencies GAP (Greater MN Gas): Administered by utility Electric Rate Discount: Utility partners with Minnesota LIHEAP Energy Partners: Utility partners with local agencies PowerOn Program: Utility partners with nonprofit Low Income Segment: Utility partner with nonprofit
LEGISLATION
Authorizing	Electrical Rate Assistance: Senate File 1706 (1994) Natural Gas Rate Assistance: Senate File 2096 (2007) Energy Efficiency: Senate File 145 (2007)
REPORTS / EVALUATIONS
Utility Reviews of Rate Assistance Programs, search for the following dockets on the Public Utilities Commission website CenterPoint Energy, Docket No. G-008/M-16-266, June 1, 2016 Greater Minnesota Gas, Docket No. G-022/M-16-233, March 17, 2016 Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation, Docket No. G-011/M-16-273, March 31, 2016 Minnesota Power, Docket No. E-015/M-11-409, April 20,2016 Great Plains Natural Gas, Docket No. G-004/M-16-275, June1,2016 Xcel Energy, Docket No. G-002/M-16-272, March 31, 2016 Utility Stakeholder Report, Review of Gas Affordability Programs , June 1, 2011