Xcel Energy has a proposal before the North Dakota Public Service Commission concerning electrical reliability.
Xcel is proposing “performance based rates.” It would be rewarded for cutting down on the number of power outages that were NOT caused by bad weather. In turn, the company would have to rebate $50 to customers if there were more than three non-weather-related outages.
"As a customer, to me that sounds pretty good," said Commissioner Bonny Fetch, who has the PSC utility portfolio. "That's a pretty good incentive for the company to pay attention to its reliability."
PSC Chairman Brian Kalk said Xcel has already agreed to hire an electrical engineer in Fargo– and to add some new technology – to prevent outages.
"I see this current proposal as an extension of ways to reward the company if they improve reliability," said Kalk. "Going forward, this will set a framework for other rate cases."
A hearing on Xcel’s proposal will be held September 25th.
