Minnesota Agencies

The legislature established the Legislative Electric Energy Task Force to study future electric energy sources, costs and make recommendations for legislation on a variety of topics including:
- Environmentally and economically sustainable electric energy supply.
- Long term issues associated with Minnesota's nuclear power plants.

Beginning in 2005, the LETF was required to submit reports every 2 years to the legislature containing an overview of information gathered and analyses that have been prepared and make specific recommendations, if any, for legislative action.

The Legislative Electric Energy Task Force(LEETF) was created by the Minnesota Legislature in 1994 to study future electric energy sources and costs and to make recommendations for legislation for an environmentally and economically sustainable energy supply (part of a new law allowing Northern States Power Co. to store radioactive waste outside its Prairie Island nuclear power plant).

The Legislature expanded the role of the task force in the 1997 legislative session (Laws of Minnesota 1997, Chapter 191), directing the task force to review issues relating to electric industry restructuring and deregulation. In 1998, the Legislature required the task force to conduct a detailed analysis, with the assistance of technical work groups, of several critical issues relating to electric restructuring (Laws of Minnesota 1998, Chapter 380).

In 2003, the Legislature instructed the task force to gather information and make recommendations regarding potential electric energy resources. The task force may contract with one or more energy policy experts and energy economists to assist it in its analysis. The final report and recommendations regarding adequate, renewable, and economic electric power for the long term shall be submitted to the Legislature by January 15, 2005, and every two years thereafter. (Minnesota Statutes 2003, 216C.051) The task force has appointed a steering committee to conduct research, provide analysis, develop recommendations, and produce reports on wind, transmission, renewables, supply side adequacy, and resource utilization.

2007 Minn. Laws Chap. 136 Sec. 19 provided for an advisory committee to be established by the Legislative Electric Energy Task Force (line 39.11). This committee became the C-BED Advisory Task Force (see LEETF notebook entry for brief article).

Succeeded by Legislative Energy Commission (2008 Minn. Laws Chap. 296 Art.1 Sec. 14).

The task force originally consisted of 16 members, including chairs of the environment and natural resources, regulated industries, and energy committees. Six members from each body were appointed at large; two from each body must be from the minority caucus.

In 1997 membership was expanded from 16 to 20.
In 2007 membership changes were made to include the Energy Finance and Policy Division and the Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications Committee Chairs.