Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Data Access Guide
Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) is a WEC Energy Group subsidiary delivering regulated natural gas service to roughly 226,000 customers across 179 Minnesota communities. Commercial and industrial customers access usage and billing data through the My Account portal, the Energy Information System (EIS) for transportation customers, and third-party authorization forms. MERC is rate-regulated by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission.
How to Get Your Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Data: All Access Methods
| Method | 1st Party | 3rd Party | Customer Types | Data Types | Latency | Format |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| My Account Portal | ✓ | ✓ | Residential, Commercial, Industrial | Billing, monthly usage, payment history | Updated at bill issuance (monthly) | PDF / web |
| Energy Information System (EIS) / PEGASys | ✓ | ✓ | Transportation C&I | Nominations, daily volumes, balancing | Daily / near real-time | Web portal / reports |
| Telemetry | ✓ | ✓ | Interruptible C&I | Metered gas flow | Daily (varies by device) | Proprietary data files |
| Third-Party Authorization Form | — | ✓ | All | Billing/usage via authorized access | Monthly | PDF / portal |
| Large Building Benchmarking data request | ✓ | ✓ | Buildings >50,000 sq ft | 12 months gas usage (ESPM-compatible) | On request | CSV / ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager |
Billing Data Access
MERC provides commercial and industrial customers self-service access to billing data through the My Account online portal and mobile app, plus a third-party authorization process for consultants and energy managers. Bills are available as PDFs with 12-24 months of history.
What Data Is on Your Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Bill
- Monthly therm usage
- Distribution charge
- Natural gas cost (commodity)
- Customer charge
- Taxes and regulatory surcharges
- Payment history
How to Download Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Bills (Business & Commercial)
- 01Create or sign in to My Account for the business account
- 02View current bill, billing history, and the Bill Analyzer usage comparison tool
- 03Download bills as PDF for records and audits
- 04For agent access, have the customer complete the Third-Party Authorization Form and submit to MERC (allow 3 business days; valid up to 2 years)
How to Download Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Bills (Residential)
- 01Register at the My Account sign-up page using account holder name, account number and last four of SSN/FEIN
- 02Verify email and create credentials
- 03Sign in to view and download monthly bills (re-authenticate every 90 days)
Third-Party Access to Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Billing Data
Third-Party Authorization Form
- 01Customer downloads and completes the form with account number, service address and agent details
- 02Customer selects authorization scope (notification, account discussion, and/or account access)
- 03Submit to MERC; allow 3 business days for processing
- 04Authorization valid up to 2 years and can be cancelled anytime
Want to understand the charges on your bill?
See the Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Rate Schedules & Tariff Guide →Interval Data & Smart Meters
MERC has limited AMI/smart meter deployment and does not provide standardized interval data to most customers. Interruptible C&I customers with telemetry devices and transportation customers in EIS have access to more granular flow data.
How to Download Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Interval Data via Green Button
- 01MERC does not offer Green Button/ESPI for natural gas customers
Interval data is essential for rate comparison and TOU analysis.
See which Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) rate schedule is best for your usage pattern →Third-Party API Access
MERC does not offer a public developer portal or REST/SOAP API for customer data. Third-party agents obtain data via the Third-Party Authorization Form, the EIS third-party access process for transportation customers, or manual data requests through the Business Center.
How to Register as a Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) API Vendor
- 01Obtain a signed Third-Party Authorization Form from the customer
- 02Submit to MERC and await activation (about 3 business days)
- 03For transportation accounts, enroll for EIS third-party access and receive credentials
- 04Contact the Business Center at 844-889-3400 for custom data requests
EDI (Electronic Data Interchange)
How to Enroll in Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) EDI
- 01MERC does not publish formal EDI transaction specifications
- 02Gas transportation data exchange is handled through the proprietary PEGASys platform and EIS
- 03Contact the MERC Business Center at 844-889-3400 to inquire about EDI/transmission options
Rate Schedules & Tariff Analysis
MERC C&I bills are driven by three components: a fixed Customer Charge, a volumetric Distribution Charge (per therm, varying by area and class), and a pass-through Natural Gas Cost. The largest savings levers for C&I customers are rate-class selection (interruptible vs. firm), transportation service with competitively procured supply, and efficiency/demand management. Distribution charges were reset in the 2022 rate case (Docket G011/GR-22-504), which settled in October 2023.
Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Rate Schedule List
| Schedule | Applicability |
|---|---|
| General Service - Small C&I (Firm Sales) | Smaller commercial and industrial firm gas sales. |
| General Service - Large C&I (Firm Sales) | Larger-volume commercial and industrial firm sales. |
| Interruptible Sales Service | Curtailable large C&I loads. |
| Firm/Interruptible Transportation | C&I sourcing commodity via marketer with MERC delivery. |
Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Rate Features & TOU Details
- Three-part bill: Customer Charge + Distribution Charge + Natural Gas Cost
- Commodity is pass-through at no markup
- Interruptible and transportation options for larger loads
- Per-therm distribution charges vary by service area
For a deeper analysis including cost optimization strategies and historical rate trends:
Read the full Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Rate Optimization Guide →Other Data Access Programs
Large Building Energy Benchmarking
Provides 12 months of natural gas usage data in EPA ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager-compatible format for buildings over 50,000 sq ft, supporting Minnesota's benchmarking mandate.
- 01Complete the Large Building Energy Use Information Request Form
- 02Provide building address, square footage, and delivery email
- 03Receive ESPM-compatible data and upload to Portfolio Manager
Minnesota Open Data Access Standards (ODAS)
MPUC framework (Docket E,G-999/M-19-505) allowing qualified third parties to request aggregated, anonymized customer energy-use data for research and policy purposes.
- 01Qualify as an eligible third party (government, nonprofit, research institution)
- 02Submit a data request describing scope, methodology and data security
- 03Execute a data-sharing agreement and receive aggregated/anonymized data
Gas Transportation Service
Allows eligible C&I customers to procure gas commodity from approved marketers/brokers while MERC provides regulated delivery, managed via EIS/PEGASys.
- 01Submit Notice of Intent to Switch Natural Gas Rate Schedules (by Aug 1 for Nov 1 switch)
- 02Appoint an approved marketer/broker via Agent Verification Form
- 03Enroll in EIS/PEGASys for nominations and balancing
Limitations & Considerations
- ⚠No Green Button (ESPI) or public API for natural gas customers
- ⚠Interval/daily data limited to interruptible (telemetry) and transportation (EIS) customers
- ⚠No published ANSI X12/EDIFACT EDI specifications; transportation data exchange uses proprietary PEGASys
- ⚠Per-therm distribution charges vary by service area and are published only in the area-specific Rate Book
- ⚠No documented utility partnerships with data aggregators; Nectar provides API access to this utility's billing data (docs.nectarclimate.com). Direct agents otherwise need a signed authorization.
Minnesota Energy Resources Corporation (MERC) Data Access FAQ
Does MERC offer Green Button or an API for C&I usage data?▾
No. MERC does not provide Green Button (ESPI) or a public REST/SOAP API. C&I customers access monthly usage and billing through the My Account portal, and authorized agents use the Third-Party Authorization Form. Transportation customers get daily volumes through the Energy Information System (EIS).
How can a consultant access our gas data across multiple sites?▾
Have each account holder complete MERC's Third-Party Authorization Form selecting account-access scope, then submit to MERC (about 3 business days to activate; valid up to 2 years). For transportation accounts, use the EIS third-party access process to obtain agent credentials.
What rate options can lower our commercial or industrial gas costs?▾
Larger loads can elect firm or interruptible transportation service and buy commodity from an approved marketer, and curtailable loads can take interruptible service for a lower per-therm rate. Because commodity is pass-through under bundled service, procurement and interruptibility are the biggest levers; see tariff Sections 5-6.
Is interval (sub-monthly) gas data available for our facility?▾
Only in limited cases. Most C&I customers receive monthly therm usage. Interruptible customers with telemetry and transportation customers in EIS can access daily/interval flow data; there is no standardized interval export for general-service customers.
When did MERC last change base rates?▾
MERC's most recent base-rate case, MPUC Docket G011/GR-22-504, settled in October 2023, with the company lowering its requested increase from about $32.7M to roughly $21.2M. Commodity costs continue to adjust periodically through the Purchased Gas Adjustment at no markup.
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