Winter 2009

Round up that old refrigerator or freezer and get a $50 reward!

That old working refrigerator or freezer in your basement, garage, or rec room is worth cash and you can get it picked up and recycled for FREE. Minnesota Power will pay you $50 for the first qualifying refrigerator or freezer rounded up and $35 for the second, through December 31, 2009, subject to program fund availability.

We call it The Great Refrigerator/ Freezer Roundup.

You will not only get paid cash for that old refrigerator or freezer, you’ll save energy when you replace that energy hog, and at the same time ensure it’s properly recycled according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards. A second refrigerator or freezer can cost you several hundred dollars over its lifetime.

So how do you round up your $50 reward? Call 1-866-552-6755 or go to

mnpower.com/refrigeratorrecycling to schedule your pickup. Our licensed and insured contractor will work with you to schedule a convenient time to come to your home and round up that old refrigerator and/ or freezer and send you a $50 check in 4–6 weeks.

To participate, you must be a Minnesota Power residential customer (receive your electric bill from Minnesota Power). You must own the refrigerator or freezer and it must be picked up at a residential location listed on the billing account. Remember, the appliance must be in working condition (cooling and plugged in at time of pickup) and it must be 10–27 cubic feet. You can recycle up to two units in a calendar year.

Buy a new ENERGY STAR® refrigerator for a $25 rebate!

To qualify for the rebate, you must purchase a new ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator from a participating retailer.

Rebate forms are available at participating retailers. For more details, visit mnpower.com/refrigrebate or call 1-800-677-8423 (select option one).

Remember to round up your old one!

Cold Weather Rule The Cold Weather Rule (CWR) regulates the conditions under which gas and electric utilities may disconnect residential service in the winter months (from October 15 to April 15).

The CWR requires that customers who have difficulty paying heating bills contact their utility to work out a mutually acceptable payment plan to keep their heat on.

Should you receive a disconnection notice from Minnesota Power, you must contact us to set up a CWR payment plan to avoid disconnection.

Call 1-800-228-4966.

We invite you to attend the 19th annual Energy Design Conference & Expo to learn from experts and professionals about the latest innovations in high-performance buildings, sustainable design and development, and current energy and environmental topics. This ever-growing event offers a wide variety of workshops, exhibitors, and the opportunity to network with the best in the business. For information regarding sponsors, presenters, partners, exhibitors, past agendas, printable registration forms, and a complete conference agenda, visit us at duluthenergydesign.com or call 1-800-228-4966, ext. 2796. Continuing Education Credits are available (builders, architects, AELSLAGID, and more).

Power outage safety tips Here are some tips to keep you and your family safe and prepared during a power outage: • Keep at least one flashlight, a battery-powered radio, and extra batteries in an accessible place.

• Use candles or camping lanterns with caution.

• If you have a fireplace, keep matches and firewood handy so you’re prepared to build a fire to keep warm.

• Turn off televisions, stoves, microwave ovens, stereo equipment, and other appliances―except your refrigerator and freezer.

• Leave on at least one light so you’ll know when power has been restored.

• CAUTION! If you intend to use a standby generator, be sure it is isolated from electric lines feeding into

your home. During an outage, the electric energy from the generator could feed back into the power line and seriously injure or kill a line worker trying to restore your power.

Lights Out Tips

If your power goes out and you feel comfortable checking your main electrical panel, check for a tripped breaker or blown fuse.

If you do not feel comfortable checking your panel or you do not find anything, call our automated lights out number at 1-800-30-power (1-800-307-6937) and enter a trouble order using your touch-tone phone.

For more power outage tips, visit mnpower.com/ customer_service/safety/lightsout.htm.

Minnesota Power’s coal ash storage Q & A You may have seen recent media coverage of the coal ash spill in Tennessee. We at Minnesota Power want our customers to know our storage facilities are well designed, well maintained, and closely monitored to ensure the safe handling of coal ash.

What is coal ash? Coal ash is an inert substance left over after burning coal. It is not classified as a hazardous substance and has beneficial use in construction materials and roadways.

Where is it stored? We operate storage facilities at three

Minnesota Power plants in northeastern Minnesota where coal ash is produced. At our Boswell Energy Center in Cohasset and Laskin Energy Center in Hoyt Lakes, waste ash is stored in lined earthen separation and storage pond systems. A solid waste landfill system is utilized at our Taconite Harbor Energy Center in Schroeder, Minn.

Are the facilities safe? We’ve been safely handling coal ash for more than 30 years and are proud of our track record. All of our sites are permitted and regulated by the

Most power line right-of-way is private land Minnesota Power maintains about 7,500 miles of power line right-of-way throughout northern and central Minnesota. And most of it is owned by private parties. Minnesota Power has been granted rights permitting the electric line to be constructed and maintained on the private land.

Because of this, rights-of-way are not public thoroughfares.

If you make use of rights-of-way for recreational purposes such as snowmobiling, hunting, or all terrain-vehicle riding, you must first obtain the landowner’s permission. Failure to get permission from the landowner can be considered trespassing.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Professional engineers and trained employees manage many proactive measures to ensure safe storage of coal ash, from initial construction and design of dikes to monitoring and stability analyses. Due to the robust design of our structures and active site management, we feel there is little risk that what happened in Tennessee could happen here.

Fun-filled learning experiences available at Electric Universe This educational site is filled with creative activities, scientific and historical information, fun games, useful videos, and electrical safety tips. Learn how to integrate lesson plans into the classroom or at home and increase your knowledge about the world of electricity at mp.electricuniverse.com.

Teachers, kids, and parents-click on Kids Korner Log on to mnpower.com/community and click on Kids Korner to experience fun, interactive tools where students learn about electricity and how to use it safely and wisely, as well as the importance of conservation. Features include energy basics, playing it safe, energy and the environment, games, and parent and teacher guides.

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