The push to form a municipal utility in Minneapolis is fizzling.
After a majority of speakers at an Aug. 1 hearing opposed the idea, key advocates of exploring a city takeover of electric service are backtracking and the issue no longer appears headed for a November referendum.
"Clearly, there is not interest in putting this on the ballot," said City Council Member Elizabeth Glidden, who leads the committee that oversees energy issues.
Xcel Energy's top official in Minnesota, David Sparby, pledged in a letter to Mayor R.T. Rybak this week to work with the city on increasing renewable energy sources and energy-efficiency programs, particularly for streetlights. He also said Xcel would deliver regular reports on the reliability of the company's electric service and how it will invest in its electric grid. He suggested forming a joint committee to explore how to reach Minneapolis' goal of reducing greenhouse gas emission by 30 percent.
Sparby concluded that if Minneapolis created a utility "it would be difficult to move forward" with those proposals.
Rybak responded appreciatively, saying the city should not pre-empt these conversations by putting a municipal utility question on the ballot this fall.
Council Member Cam Gordon, who has led the municipal utility effort, agreed.
"Maybe we can give this some time and see what kind of partnership evolves," he said.