The Resource and Tax Adjustment (RTA) charge and Advanced Meter Recovery fee will increase on most members’ bills in 2021. 

How much is the increase?
For residential members, the 2021 RTA will be $0.0001 per kilowatt-hour, which is $0.0001 higher than December 2020. The 2021 advanced meter recovery fee will be $1.16 per residential meter, which is 76 cents higher than December 2020. Together, the fees will increase the average residential member’s bill a total of about 83 cents per month. Commercial accounts should contact an account representative to discuss the RTA charge for their rate class.

What is the RTA?
Dakota Electric uses the RTA to adjust prices according to changes in wholesale power cost, property and real estate taxes and conservation spending. The charge is a direct pass-through of costs and is reviewed by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.

What is the advanced meter recovery fee?
The advanced meter recovery fee is a separate line item on your monthly bill to recover costs associated with installing advanced or “smart” meters and communication equipment. The fee is applied to each meter at a premise and will be adjusted annually depending on ongoing project costs. Eventually, this line item will be eliminated once these costs are covered in base rates.

In compliance with Minnesota Rules Relating to Cogeneration and Small Power Production, Chapter 7835, Dakota Electric Association is required to interconnect with and purchase electricity from cogenerators and small power producers that satisfy the conditions of a qualifying facility.

Dakota Electric will provide free information to all interested members regarding rates and interconnection requirements. An interconnection application is required and subject to approval from the cooperative before a qualifying facility interconnects and operates in parallel with the cooperative’s distribution system. 

Any disputes over interconnections, sales and purchases are subject to resolution by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.