Pine Island data center: AG Ellison claims project could result in over $1 billion in costs, raises transparency concerns
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office is urging the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission not to approve Xcel Energy’s proposed agreement to serve Google’s Pine Island data center without stronger protections for ratepayers. The office argues the project could shift billions of dollars in electricity and stranded-asset costs to households and small businesses, while Xcel disputes those claims and says Google will cover its costs.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s office submitted more than 100 pages to the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission regarding Xcel Energy’s proposed electricity agreement for Google’s data center in Pine Island. The filing questions whether Xcel has shown that the agreement is reasonable, serves the public interest and complies with state law, warning that cost shifts or reduced demand could leave other ratepayers exposed to as much as $1 billion or more in costs.
The Attorney General’s office also criticized extensive redactions in Xcel’s filings and asked the utility to provide more justification for information labeled as trade secret. It urged the commission to require Google or the applicable large-customer class to bear all costs associated with serving the facility before approving the agreement. Xcel rejected the concerns, saying Google will fund 1,900 megawatts of new clean-energy resources and pay its share of system costs without burdening existing customers. The commission is reviewing the proposal under a 2025 Minnesota law governing electric service for very large customers.