The 2026 Minnesota legislative session runs February 17th through May 18th. With the state’s biennial budget already passed in 2025, lawmakers are expected to focus primarily on policy issues and a capital investment bill that funds public infrastructure projects. This session also comes during an election year, with all 201 legislative seats and Minnesota’s constitutional offices on the ballot in November.
We attended the Minnesota Rural Electric Association (MREA) Annual Meeting this year in March. We were able to meet with Rep. Krista Knudsen, Rep. Tom Murphy, Sen. Paul Utke, Sen. Torey Westrom, Sen. Nate Wesenberg, and Rep. Mike Wiener to discuss legislative priorities that will directly affect the cooperative and our members.
Two priorities are at the forefront this year: lifting Minnesota’s moratorium on nuclear energy and modernizing the state’s net metering policy.
We heard from both parties that Minnesota cannot meet its mandated carbon-free goal by 2040 without nuclear. The moratorium on new nuclear energy projects has placed Minnesota way behind the curve, restricting the state’s ability to consider a reliable, carbon-free energy source. As electricity demand grows and more renewable resources are added to the grid, advanced nuclear technologies, such as small modular reactors, could provide consistent, around-the-clock power that stabilizes wind and solar. Removing the moratorium would not commit the state to building nuclear facilities but would allow policymakers to explore nuclear energy as part of a balanced future energy mix. MREA is working with more than 60 partners through the Minnesota Nuclear Energy Alliance to reopen this discussion.
Reforming Minnesota’s net metering policy is another key priority. While net metering has helped encourage distributed generation such as rooftop solar, the current structure shifts costs onto members who do not generate their own electricity. Electric cooperatives support renewable energy growth but believe policies must treat all members fairly while supporting affordable electricity.
Additional legislative priorities include supporting wildfire mitigation efforts, strengthening protections and awareness for utility workers, and continuing to advocate for policies that keep electricity reliable and affordable for cooperative members across Minnesota.
Please join us for Todd-Wadena Electric Cooperative’s Annual Meeting on April 16th to hear more about these priorities.
Miles Kuschel
Board of Directors Chair
