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Minnesota Power rates and bills in northeastern Minnesota

Minnesota Power's 126,520 residential customers in Minnesota paid an average of 15.86¢ per kWh in 2025, for an average bill of $106.80 a month on 673 kWh.1 Over the last 12 months (Sep 2025–Aug 2026) the average was 16.71¢, and 16.87¢ in August 2026.2

EIA-861 2025 final (released October 7, 2026) and EIA's monthly utility survey through August 2026 (preliminary); next monthly update expected November 24, 2026. Averages are revenue divided by kWh, all charges included: not the rate printed in a tariff.

17 of 87 Minnesota counties served (EIA-861 2025)

In 2025 Minnesota Power's homes paid almost exactly the state's average price per kWh: 0.2% above the Minnesota average1. EIA's monthly survey shows its price rising faster than the state's in 2026, +11.6%2 in August 2026 on a year earlier against +1.8%4 statewide, and its highest bills come in midwinter, not summer.

Three answers to "Minnesota Power rates per kWh"

Minnesota Power, the investor-owned utility business of ALLETE, Inc., sold electricity to 126,520 Minnesota homes in 2025, 5.4%1 of the state's residential customers. What they paid per kWh depends on the period, and each figure sits next to the matching Minnesota number:

PeriodMinnesota Power, homesMinnesota, all homes
Year 2025 (EIA-861, final)15.86¢ per kWh115.83¢ per kWh3
Last 12 months, September 2025 to August 2026 (EIA-861M)16.71¢ per kWh16.28¢ per kWh
August 2026 alone (EIA-861M)16.87¢ per kWh217.20¢ per kWh4

Every cell is average revenue per kWh: total residential revenue, customer charge and riders included, divided by the kWh sold. It is not a tariff line, and a single household's cost per kWh is higher or lower depending on how much it uses. The two monthly-survey rows include 2026 months, which stay preliminary until EIA's final data in August 2027.

For 2025, Minnesota Power ranked 14th highest of the 30 Minnesota utilities with 10,000 or more residential customers. Among the 177 US utilities with 100,000 or more residential customers it was 76th highest of 177, against a median of 15.07¢ per kWh, and it was 10.8% below the national average for investor-owned utilities1.

Slower than the state in 2025, faster in 2026

The 2025 figures put Minnesota Power and the state side by side. Its residential average rose 1.3%, from 15.66¢ per kWh5 in 2024 to 15.86¢ per kWh1, while the Minnesota average rose more, 2.5%, to 15.83¢ per kWh3.

The monthly survey shows the order reversing. Over the 12 months from September 2025 to August 2026, Minnesota Power's homes averaged 16.71¢ per kWh, above the state's 16.28¢ per kWh. In August 2026 the utility's average was +11.6% on the same month a year earlier; Minnesota's was +1.8% and Xcel Energy's Minnesota utility −0.3%. Even so, the August 2026 level itself, 16.87¢ per kWh2, was below the state's 17.20¢ per kWh4, a reminder that a single summer month says little about the year. These months are preliminary and can be revised; the 12-month line in the chart is the steadier reading.

Minnesota Power: residential price each month, Jan 2025 to Aug 2026
Minnesota Power: residential price each month, Jan 2025 to Aug 202612¢14¢16¢20252026

Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state. Residential revenue divided by kWh in each month, as reported to EIA's monthly survey (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary).

Show the numbers
MonthMinnesota Power (¢/kWh)kWh per customerBill per customer
January 202515.09¢927$139.93
February 202514.92¢805$120.14
March 202515.46¢697$107.75
April 202515.46¢589$91.11
May 202515.98¢541$86.45
June 202515.78¢551$86.88
July 202516.06¢690$110.85
August 202515.12¢645$97.49
September 202516.87¢536$90.44
October 202517.32¢557$96.54
November 202517.01¢632$107.58
December 202515.82¢910$143.94
January 202616.36¢941$153.84
February 202616.08¢731$117.53
March 202616.99¢698$118.58
April 202616.63¢605$100.57
May 202616.87¢554$93.50
June 202617.10¢544$92.95
July 202617.24¢795$137.06
August 202616.87¢647$109.20

Minnesota Power's rates are set by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission in general rate cases. Under Minnesota law a utility may bill interim rates while the commission reviews a case, with refunds to customers if the final rates are lower, so an increase can appear in EIA's averages before the case ends. The guide to rate increases explains the steps from filing to bill.

The bill peaks in January

Minnesota Power's year turns on winter. Over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026) the average home used 536 kWh in September 2025 and 941 kWh in January 2026, and the average bill went from $90.44 to $153.84. Xcel Energy's Minnesota homes peaked in July 20262 instead.

Minnesota Power: average residential use and bill by month

Source: EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility. kWh per residential customer in each month (EIA-861M; months since January 2026 preliminary). The table adds the average bill and price for the month.

Show the numbers
MonthkWh per customerBill per customer¢/kWh
September 2025536$90.4416.87¢
October 2025557$96.5417.32¢
November 2025632$107.5817.01¢
December 2025910$143.9415.82¢
January 2026941$153.8416.36¢
February 2026731$117.5316.08¢
March 2026698$118.5816.99¢
April 2026605$100.5716.63¢
May 2026554$93.5016.87¢
June 2026544$92.9517.10¢
July 2026795$137.0617.24¢
August 2026647$109.2016.87¢

Minnesota has the 2nd highest heating load among the contiguous states (8,1896 heating degree days a year, NOAA, 2016–2025). Across the whole year, though, a Minnesota Power home used less than the state's average home: 673 kWh a month in 2025 against 744 kWh. So its average bill, $106.80, was below Minnesota's $117.677, even with a price close to the state's. The bill changed by +4.7% from 2024 ($101.99), faster than the price, because use per home went from 651 kWh5 to 673 kWh1 a month.

Industrial customers buy most of its electricity

Homes are most of Minnesota Power's accounts but a minority of its sales. In 2025 it billed 4211 industrial customers, and in EIA-861 they bought most of the kWh the utility sold. That is why its all-customer average sits far below the residential one:

Customers, 2025AccountsAverage priceAverage monthly bill
Residential126,52015.86¢ per kWh$106.80
Commercial26,25114.75¢ per kWh$569.27
Industrial4219.37¢ per kWh$99,374.54
All customers153,19211.10¢ per kWh1

Industrial customers paid the lowest average of the three groups and homes the highest, and because so much of the volume is industrial, the all-customer figure is pulled towards the industrial price. It is not what a household or a shop pays.

Against Minnesota's other large utilities

Average residential price, 2025: Minnesota Power and other Minnesota utilities
Otter Tail Power Co (MN)11.27¢
Connexus Energy (MN)14.11¢
Dakota Electric Association (MN)15.63¢
Minnesota Power (MN)15.86¢
Xcel Energy (MN)17.07¢
Rochester Public Utilities (MN)18.58¢

Source: EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final. EIA-861 2025 final. Average revenue per kWh is all charges divided by kWh; it is not a tariff rate.

Show the numbers
Utilityaverage residential price (bundled customers)
Otter Tail Power Co (MN)11.27¢
Connexus Energy (MN)14.11¢
Dakota Electric Association (MN)15.63¢
Minnesota Power (MN)15.86¢
Xcel Energy (MN)17.07¢
Rochester Public Utilities (MN)18.58¢

Minnesota's investor-owned utilities averaged 16.66¢ per kWh for homes in 2025, its cooperatives 15.22¢ per kWh and its municipal utilities 15.04¢ per kWh. Minnesota Power, at 15.86¢ per kWh, was below Xcel Energy (17.07¢ per kWh), above Connexus Energy (14.11¢ per kWh) and close to Dakota Electric Association (15.63¢ per kWh). Among utilities with 10,000 or more homes, the lowest average in the state was Otter Tail Power Co's 11.27¢ per kWh and the highest Rochester Public Utilities's 18.58¢ per kWh1.

None of these is a choice a household can make. Minnesota has no residential retail choice (0.0%1 of homes bought from a competitive supplier in 2025), and in all 178 counties where Minnesota Power reports customers, at least one other utility reports customers too. The utility's own service map decides by address.

Counties where Minnesota Power reports customers in Minnesota
Counties where Minnesota Power reports customers in MinnesotaAitkin County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 4 other utilitiesAnoka County: not served by Minnesota PowerBecker County: not served by Minnesota PowerBeltrami County: not served by Minnesota PowerBenton County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 2 other utilitiesBig Stone County: not served by Minnesota PowerBlue Earth County: not served by Minnesota PowerBrown County: not served by Minnesota PowerCarlton County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 2 other utilitiesCarver County: not served by Minnesota PowerCass County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 6 other utilitiesChippewa County: not served by Minnesota PowerChisago County: not served by Minnesota PowerClay County: not served by Minnesota PowerClearwater County: not served by Minnesota PowerCook County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 2 other utilitiesCottonwood County: not served by Minnesota PowerCrow Wing County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 3 other utilitiesDakota County: not served by Minnesota PowerDodge County: not served by Minnesota PowerDouglas County: not served by Minnesota PowerFaribault County: not served by Minnesota PowerFillmore County: not served by Minnesota PowerFreeborn County: not served by Minnesota PowerGoodhue County: not served by Minnesota PowerGrant County: not served by Minnesota PowerHennepin County: not served by Minnesota PowerHouston County: not served by Minnesota PowerHubbard County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 4 other utilitiesIsanti County: not served by Minnesota PowerItasca County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 6 other utilitiesJackson County: not served by Minnesota PowerKanabec County: not served by Minnesota PowerKandiyohi County: not served by Minnesota PowerKittson County: not served by Minnesota PowerKoochiching County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 4 other utilitiesLac qui Parle County: not served by Minnesota PowerLake County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 4 other utilitiesLake of the Woods County: not served by Minnesota PowerLe Sueur County: not served by Minnesota PowerLincoln County: not served by Minnesota PowerLyon County: not served by Minnesota PowerMcLeod County: not served by Minnesota PowerMahnomen County: not served by Minnesota PowerMarshall County: not served by Minnesota PowerMartin County: not served by Minnesota PowerMeeker County: not served by Minnesota PowerMille Lacs County: not served by Minnesota PowerMorrison County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 6 other utilitiesMower County: not served by Minnesota PowerMurray County: not served by Minnesota PowerNicollet County: not served by Minnesota PowerNobles County: not served by Minnesota PowerNorman County: not served by Minnesota PowerOlmsted County: not served by Minnesota PowerOtter Tail County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 7 other utilitiesPennington County: not served by Minnesota PowerPine County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 4 other utilitiesPipestone County: not served by Minnesota PowerPolk County: not served by Minnesota PowerPope County: not served by Minnesota PowerRamsey County: not served by Minnesota PowerRed Lake County: not served by Minnesota PowerRedwood County: not served by Minnesota PowerRenville County: not served by Minnesota PowerRice County: not served by Minnesota PowerRock County: not served by Minnesota PowerRoseau County: not served by Minnesota PowerSt. Louis County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 11 other utilitiesScott County: not served by Minnesota PowerSherburne County: not served by Minnesota PowerSibley County: not served by Minnesota PowerStearns County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 8 other utilitiesSteele County: not served by Minnesota PowerStevens County: not served by Minnesota PowerSwift County: not served by Minnesota PowerTodd County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 8 other utilitiesTraverse County: not served by Minnesota PowerWabasha County: not served by Minnesota PowerWadena County: Minnesota Power reports service, with 4 other utilitiesWaseca County: not served by Minnesota PowerWashington County: not served by Minnesota PowerWatonwan County: not served by Minnesota PowerWilkin County: not served by Minnesota PowerWinona County: not served by Minnesota PowerWright County: not served by Minnesota PowerYellow Medicine County: not served by Minnesota Power

Source: EIA-861 2025, service territory; Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties. EIA-861 2025 service territory: 17 counties. Counts whole counties even where the utility serves only part of one; check the utility's own service-area map for an address.

Show the numbers
CountyOther utilities reporting service
Aitkin CountyEast Central Energy, Lake Country Power, Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative, Aitkin Public Utilities Comm
Benton CountyXcel Energy, East Central Energy
Carlton CountyLake Country Power, Moose Lake Water & Light Comm
Cass CountyOtter Tail Power Co, Lake Country Power, Crow Wing Cooperative Power & Light Comp, Beltrami Electric Cooperative, Itasca-Mantrap Co-op Electrical Association, Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative
Cook CountyArrowhead Electric Cooperative, City of Grand Marais
Crow Wing CountyCrow Wing Cooperative Power & Light Comp, Mille Lacs Energy Cooperative, Brainerd Public Utilities
Hubbard CountyBeltrami Electric Cooperative, Itasca-Mantrap Co-op Electrical Association, Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, Clearwater-Polk Electric Cooperative
Itasca CountyLake Country Power, Beltrami Electric Cooperative, Grand Rapids Public Util Comm, North Itasca Electric Cooperative, City of Nashwauk, Keewatin Public Utilities
Koochiching CountyLake Country Power, Beltrami Electric Cooperative, North Star Electric Cooperative, North Itasca Electric Cooperative
Lake CountyLake Country Power, Cooperative Light & Power, Arrowhead Electric Cooperative, City of Two Harbors
Morrison CountyEast Central Energy, Crow Wing Cooperative Power & Light Comp, Stearns Cooperative Electric Association, Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, City of Pierz, City of Randall
Otter Tail CountyOtter Tail Power Co, Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Runestone Electric Association, Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, City of Wadena, City of Henning, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration
Pine CountyXcel Energy, East Central Energy, Lake Country Power, Northwestern Wisconsin Electric Co
St. Louis CountyLake Country Power, Hibbing Public Utilities Comm, North Star Electric Cooperative, Cooperative Light & Power, City of Virginia, City of Ely, Proctor Public Utilities Comm, City of Mountain Iron, City of Gilbert, City of Biwabik, City of Buhl
Stearns CountyXcel Energy, Wright-Hennepin Cooperative Electric Association, Stearns Cooperative Electric Association, Runestone Electric Association, Kandiyohi Power Cooperative, Meeker Cooperative Light & Power Association, City of Sauk Centre, Melrose Public Utilities
Todd CountyXcel Energy, Otter Tail Power Co, Crow Wing Cooperative Power & Light Comp, Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Stearns Cooperative Electric Association, Runestone Electric Association, Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, City of Staples
Wadena CountyLake Region Electric Cooperative, Itasca-Mantrap Co-op Electrical Association, Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative, City of Wadena

Those counties run from Cook and Lake on the shore of Lake Superior west to Itasca, Crow Wing and Otter Tail.

Time-of-use, meters and rooftop solar

Every Minnesota Power residential meter was an advanced meter in EIA's 2025 count (100.0%), and 20,056 homes, 15.9% of the total, were enrolled in time-of-use pricing, against 1.6%10 at Xcel Energy in Minnesota. The hours and prices of the time-of-use option are set in Minnesota Power's tariff; the time-of-use guide shows how such a rate shifts a bill.

Rooftop solar is rarer than time-of-use: 1,210 residential net-metered installations with 11.8 megawatts of capacity in 2025, 9.6 per 1,000 customers, against 13.010 at Xcel Energy in Minnesota. The net metering guide explains how the credits work.

Fewer outage minutes than the state

Minnesota Power's customers were without power for 143 minutes on average in 2025, major events included, fewer than the Minnesota average of 182 minutes. They had 1.23 interruptions on average. Excluding major event days, as the IEEE 1366 standard allows, the figure was 102 minutes, slightly above the 94 minutes11 statewide figure on the same basis.

Help with winter bills

Minnesota received $125.3 million12 in federal LIHEAP energy assistance for fiscal 2026. The help paying guide lists the programs, and electricity in Minnesota covers every utility in the state.

Minnesota Power questions

How much does Minnesota Power charge per kWh?

Its residential customers paid an average of 15.86¢ per kWh1 in 2025 and 16.71¢ per kWh2 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026, 2026 months preliminary). Both are total residential revenue divided by kWh sold, so the monthly customer charge, fuel and riders are included. The energy charge printed in Minnesota Power's rate schedule is a narrower figure.

What is the average Minnesota Power electric bill?

$106.80 a month in 2025 for 673 kWh1, and $113.46 over the last 12 months (September 2025 to August 2026). In that period the monthly average ran from $90.44 in September 2025 to $153.84 in January 20262.

Did Minnesota Power raise rates in 2026?

EIA's preliminary monthly data show a higher average price: 16.87¢ per kWh in August 20264, +11.6%2 on August 2025. Rate changes themselves are decided by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission, whose case records give the approved and requested amounts.

Is Minnesota Power the same company as ALLETE?

Minnesota Power is the utility business of ALLETE, Inc. (Minnesota Power), the name under which it reports to EIA (utility number 12647). It is a separate company from Xcel Energy, the state's largest utility.

Related pages

Sources

  1. EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2025 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  2. EIA-861M monthly sales and revenue by utility; table sales_ult_cust_2025 and _2026; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
  3. EIA, Historical state data, annual sales, revenue and customers; table HS861 2010-.xlsx; 2010-2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  4. EIA, Electric Power Monthly / EIA-861M sales and revenue by state; table sales_revenue.xlsx (EPM Table 5.6.A); January 2001 to 2026-08; months since January 2026 preliminary; released October 23, 2026. www.eia.gov
  5. EIA-861 annual electric power industry report, 2024 final; table Sales_Ult_Cust_2024; 2024, final (file updated December 3, 2025); released December 3, 2025. www.eia.gov
  6. NOAA, Climate Prediction Center population-weighted degree days by state; table daily state files, base 65°F; 2016-2025 annual sums; 1981-2010 CPC normals; released November 13, 2026. ftp.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov
  7. EIA-861 2025, average monthly bill by state; table Average_Bill_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  8. EIA-861 2025, service territory; table Service_Territory_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  9. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file, counties; table cb_2025_us_county_5m; cb_2021_us_county_5m; 2025 (2021 for Connecticut). www.census.gov
  10. EIA-861 2025, advanced meters, dynamic pricing and net metering; table Advanced_Meters, Dynamic_Pricing, Net_Metering 2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  11. EIA-861 2025, reliability; table Reliability_2025; 2025, final; released October 7, 2026. www.eia.gov
  12. HHS, LIHEAP funding releases to states; table FY2027 first release; FY2026 final; FY2027 first release (October 9, 2026); FY2026 total; released October 9, 2026. acf.gov

How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.