Minnesota

Might as well add this for completeness and "closure"
https://www.mprnews.org/story/2025/10/03/state-regulators-approve-sale-of-northern-mn-public-utility-to-private-investors
Various excerpts:

Minnesota regulators have unanimously approved the controversial $6.2 billion sale of Allete — parent company of the Duluth-based public utility Minnesota Power — to a pair of private investment firms.

Several commissioners admitted they were initially highly skeptical of the proposal, and only came around to supporting it after Minnesota Power and its purchasers agreed to several new conditions that the PUC says are “unprecedented.”

For example, the approved deal requires the utility to give customers $50 million in rate credits and create a $10 million fund for energy efficiency improvements for low and moderate-income households. It also freezes rates for one year.

It also requires Minnesota Power to create a $50 million fund for new clean energy technologies, and spend up to $3.5 million to forgive customers’ unpaid bills.

All totaled, the PUC said the deal includes more than $200 million in savings, protections and benefits.

. . . Commissioners said they were confident those risks ((that the conglomerate won't carry out it's promises, that will find ways to extract extra billions in profits at the expense of customers, reliability, and the environment --progree)) could be mitigated, because the utility will continue to be regulated by the state.

The deal also imposes caps on the utility’s profitability, but only through the end of 2030.

The agreement received the support of labor unions... The utility has committed to keeping its headquarters and its workforce in Duluth, and to honor union contracts and maintain wage levels.

The Minnesota PUC’s blessing is the final approval needed for the acquisition, which had already been approved by federal regulators. Minnesota Power says the transaction is expected to close in late 2025.