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CARE: Customer Affordability of Residential Electricity

Minnesota Power is pleased to offer income-qualified customers a discount on their electric bill with our CARE program. If you qualify for the Energy Assistance (EAP), you may be eligible for an electric bill discount! EAP qualified customers who are senior, or living with a disability, will be automatically enrolled.

The CARE program includes two discount options for customers:

Flat Discount
There is no application for this monthly $20 discount. Customers who qualify for Minnesota Power’s Residential Service Income- and Usage-Qualified Discount or Minnesota’s Energy Assistance Program (EAP), who are also of senior age or living with a disability, will be automatically enrolled. The discount is applied to each monthly bill as long as the total bill, before taxes and fees, is at least $20. Customers who qualify for CARE only through the Income- and Usage-Qualified Discount must apply and qualify for EAP in order to keep their CARE discount for more than one year.

Affordability Discount
This discount requires a quick one-page application. Funds are limited and are offered first-come first-served. Apply for this discount if you spend more than 3% of your annual income on electric bills.

Applications are currently closed for this portion of the CARE program. See the waitlist option below.

Take Action!

Follow these steps to start saving money on your electric bill:

1. Complete your LIHEAP application with your local energy assistance provider.
   
   Find your local energy assistance provider here.
   
   OR
   
   Complete Minnesota Power’s Residential Service Income- and Usage-Qualified Discount Self-Declaration Income Eligibility Application here.
   
   Customers who qualify for CARE only through the Income- and Usage-Qualified Discount, must apply and qualify for EAP in order to keep their CARE discount for more than one year.
2. To be added to the waitlist for the Affordability Discount, do one of the following: complete this quick online submission, email your name, address, e-mail and phone number to CARE@mnpower.com, or call a CARE representative at 218-355-3500.

Please note: Once enrolled on the CARE rate you will remain enrolled until you are no longer EAP qualified. Therefore, you will need to reapply for EAP with your local energy assistance provider every year.

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Income Requirements

There are two ways to meet the income requirements for CARE – through Minnesota Power’s self-declaration process for the Income- and Usage-Qualified Discount or by qualifying for the EAP.

1. Minnesota Power’s Self-Declare Process: For Minnesota Power’s Income- and Usage-Qualified Discount, household income must be at or below 60% of the state median income or a member of the household must participate in a listed income-based program. Please note, this option for CARE eligibility only applies to the first year a customer self-declares. Continued eligibility for the CARE program, beyond this initial exception, requires applying and being approved through EAP (option 2 below).
2. Energy Assistance Program (EAP): Households with income at or below 50 percent of the state median income may qualify for EAP. Eligibility is based on your income in the previous month. EAP eligibility guidelines have been updated for this program year, starting October 1. View the new guidelines here. Customers do not need to accept Energy Assistance funds in order to qualify for CARE, but they do need to apply for, and be approved into, the program in order to receive any CARE discount.

What You Will Pay:

Flat Discount
When a bill is over $20, you will receive a $20 discount on that bill, each month.

Affordability Discount
This chart shows estimated monthly billing amounts and savings under the CARE Affordability Discount.

* Estimated monthly billing amounts include all items on bills (e.g., fuel adjustment, cost recovery rider adjustments, etc.) except sales tax and municipal franchise fees.

Other Information and Resources:

• United Way’s First Call program: Simply dial 211
• Minnesota Power’s Energy Partners Program
• Energy Assistance Hotline: 800-657-3710
• Salvation Army/HeatShare

Customer Testimonials

Full names have been excluded to protect customer privacy.

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