Central Minnesota Energy Guide: Solar, Batteries, Backup, EV

In short: St. Cloud and Mankato are on Xcel Energy, which averaged about 17¢ per kWh for homes in 2024 and 309 outage minutes per customer with major storms (EIA). Many rural homes around them are on co-ops: Stearns Electric averaged 13.9¢ and 133 minutes. Stearns County rates “relatively high” for hail, tornadoes, wind and winter weather.

This page covers what is specific to central and south-central Minnesota around St. Cloud and Mankato: who serves you, their numbers and programs, permits and charging. For statewide rules, including net metering under 40 kW and the solar tax exemptions, see our Minnesota energy guide.

Central Minnesota at a glance

• Xcel Energy (St. Cloud, Mankato): about 17.0¢ per kWh on average for homes in 2024. Outages: 309 minutes per customer with major events, 110 without; 1.47 interruptions a year, statewide figure for Xcel’s Minnesota utility (EIA-861, 2024).
• Stearns Electric Association (rural Stearns County): about 13.9¢ per kWh. Outages: 133 minutes with major events, 57 without (EIA-861, 2024). Its members use about twice as much power as the average Xcel home: 1,204 kWh a month against 588.
• Other utilities: East Central Energy (Benton and Sherburne counties) about 16.9¢ and 178 minutes; BENCO Electric (around Mankato) about 15.0¢; Minnesota Power also serves parts of Stearns and Benton counties, at about 15.7¢ (EIA-861, 2024).
• Sun: about 3.9 kWh per square meter per day in both cities, from 1.2 to 1.3 in December to 6.0 to 6.1 in June (NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,130 kWh a year per kW of panels.
• Top hazards: Stearns County (St. Cloud) is “relatively high” for hail, lightning, strong wind, tornadoes and winter weather. Blue Earth County (Mankato) is “relatively high” for cold waves, strong wind and winter weather, with a “relatively low” overall risk (FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025).
• Public charging: 65 ports at 21 locations in Mankato and 24 at 9 locations in St. Cloud (AFDC, October 3, 2026).

Your utility and what it means

Around both cities, Xcel and several co-ops serve neighboring areas, so a house in town and one a few miles out can have different prices, outage records and rebates. Check your bill first.

• Xcel Energy (St. Cloud, Mankato): Solar*Rewards pays $0.03 per kWh your panels make, yearly for 10 years, with $3.00 per watt up front for income-qualified homes. A battery added to approved solar earns $175 per kWh, or $370 if income-qualified, up to $5,000. Xcel also pays up to $500 toward a Level 2 charger installation, or up to $1,200 if income-qualified, when you join one of its EV programs. Details are on our Twin Cities page and Xcel’s site.
• Co-ops (Stearns Electric, BENCO, East Central and others): solar under 40 kW is net metered under the state rule. Ask your co-op for its solar, battery, EV and off-peak programs, which we could not confirm on their sites.
• State battery incentive (outside Xcel): co-op and Minnesota Power customers can get $250 per kWh up to $7,000 from the Minnesota Department of Commerce for a battery paired with solar (below).

Backup power in Central Minnesota

Xcel’s Minnesota customers were without power for about 5.1 hours in 2024 once major storms were counted, and under two hours on ordinary days (EIA). Stearns Electric members averaged about 2.2 hours with storms and an hour without. This is storm country in both seasons: Stearns County rates “relatively high” for tornadoes, hail and wind, and both counties for winter weather.

Rural homes with wells, sump pumps and electric or dual-fuel heat lose more in an outage than a city house does, and Stearns Electric’s average use of 1,204 kWh a month shows how electric those homes can be. For them, a standby generator on propane or natural gas is the usual answer for long outages. A home battery suits shorter outages and solar homes, and a portable power station covers the basics in town. Compare them in backup power options, and size them with the battery backup calculator or the generator sizing tool.

Safety first: the CPSC says to run generators outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house and never in a garage. Fit battery-backed CO alarms, and have a licensed electrician install the transfer switch (generator installation).

Solar in Central Minnesota

Panels make about 1,130 kWh a year per kW by our rough estimate. In St. Cloud or Mankato on Xcel, that is worth about $192 a year per kW at 17¢, plus about $34 a year from Solar*Rewards for 10 years. On Stearns Electric’s 13.9¢ it is about $157, and on BENCO’s 15.0¢ about $170. Rural lots often have room for a ground mount, which is easier to clear of snow and to aim. Hail is a real risk in Stearns County, so ask about panel hail ratings and insurance. These are estimates. Use the solar potential tool and the solar savings calculator, and read solar installation and how net metering works.

Batteries in Central Minnesota

Under net metering, a battery here is mainly for backup. Both main programs need solar. On Xcel, a 13.5 kWh battery would get about $2,360 at $175 per kWh, and Xcel reported $1.47 million left on August 11, 2026. On a co-op or Minnesota Power, the state’s $250 per kWh would pay about $3,375, up to $7,000, and the state reported $1.42 million left on August 17, 2026. Both are first come, first served, so check the program page before you sign. See home battery installation and home battery cost.

EV charging in Central Minnesota

At about 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs roughly $5.10 per 100 miles on Xcel and $4.20 on Stearns Electric at 2024 averages (our estimates). Public charging is thinner than in the Twin Cities: 65 ports in Mankato and 24 in St. Cloud (AFDC, October 3, 2026). That makes a home Level 2 charger more useful here. It needs a 240-volt circuit from a licensed electrician and an electrical permit. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.

Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in St. Cloud: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.

Permits and inspections

• Mankato: the city’s Building Inspections office requires a building permit before construction or renovation and inspects to the State Building Code. Its listed forms cover building, mechanical and plumbing permits, so ask the office or your electrician where the electrical permit comes from.
• St. Cloud: the city’s building department issues building permits. We could not reach its website to confirm its solar and electrical permit details, so call City Hall.
• Townships and rural areas: the county or township handles building permits, and electrical permits often come from the state Department of Labor and Industry.
• Utility: Xcel or your co-op must approve the interconnection before solar or a battery goes live.

Cities we cover

• St. Cloud
• Mankato

Get help

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Central Minnesota energy FAQ

Is St. Cloud on Xcel Energy or a co-op?

The city of St. Cloud is in Xcel Energy’s territory. Rural Stearns County is largely served by co-ops such as Stearns Electric Association, and Minnesota Power and East Central Energy serve parts of Stearns, Benton and Sherburne counties (EIA, 2024). Your bill shows which one you have.

Is electricity cheaper on a co-op around St. Cloud?

On average, yes, per kWh: Stearns Electric members paid about 13.9¢ in 2024, against about 17¢ for Xcel’s Minnesota homes (EIA). Cheaper power means solar saves less per kWh, so the payback math differs.

Can I get a battery incentive in Mankato?

Yes, if you add a battery to solar. Mankato homes on Xcel can get $175 per kWh, or $370 if income-qualified, up to $5,000. Homes on BENCO or another co-op can get the state’s $250 per kWh, up to $7,000. Both depend on remaining funds.

How many public EV chargers are there in St. Cloud and Mankato?

The federal station locator listed 24 public ports in St. Cloud and 65 in Mankato on October 3, 2026. Stations in neighboring towns may be listed under their own names.

Sources

Utilities, prices, outages and solar counts: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 data for 2024. Xcel Energy Minnesota Solar*Rewards, Battery Storage Incentive Program and EV charging incentive pages. Minnesota Department of Commerce on-site energy storage incentive. City of Mankato Building Inspections. Sun: NASA POWER, 2001 to 2020. Hazards: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025. Charging: Alternative Fuels Data Center. Generator safety: CPSC. All checked October 3, 2026.