As your local "energy experts," we continue to offer learning opportunities for our customers that cover a wide range of topics. Scroll down below for a full listing of educational opportunities.

Community Education Classes

Neighborhood Energy Challenge

Neighborhood Energy Challenge Class

RPU and Minnesota Energy Resources have teamed up with the Center for Energy and Environment to offer Rochester homeowners the Neighborhood Energy Challenge (NEC), a full-service residential energy audit program.

Learn more about the Neighborhood Energy Challenge

Solar Energy for Your Home or Business

Is solar right for you? Does solar work in Minnesota? How much energy can it produce? What are the costs? What incentives are available? Is there maintenance? Come learn the answers to these questions and more. There will be many photos of installations. An optional video tour of a local solar home will follow the class for those who would like to see a system in action. Cosponsored with Rochester Public Utilities (RPU).

Instructor: Micah Johnson

Bio: Micah is the Vice President of Operations for Solar Connection of Rochester, MN.  In business since 2010, Solar Connection installs solar energy systems for commercial, residential, and farm applications. Solar Connection is a licensed general contractor and NABCEP™ Certified for PV Installation. NABCEP is the National Board of Certified Energy Practitioners.

Date: Saturday, February 24, 2024

Time: 10:00 am-12:00 pm

Cost: FREE

Location: Northrop Community Education Center: Room 308
201 8th St NW
Rochester, MN 55901

REGISTRATION: Registration for this Community Education class can be made by calling 507-328-4000 or online through the Rochester Community Education website at https://rochester.ce.eleyo.com/course/20399/2023-24-adult-catalog/solar-energy-for-your-home-or-business.

Also, check out the many classes that Community Education has to offer on Electric Vehicles, Heat Pumps, and more at https://rochester.ce.eleyo.com/search?redirected_yet=true&sf[category]=322.

MMUA 'Tom Bovitz Memorial Scholarship Award'

Write a 500 to 750 word, typed, double spaced essay reflecting on one or more of the following prompts:

  • What is the benefit of a city maintaining local control of its utilities?
  • How does your hometown provide reliable, sustainable, and affordable utility service?
  • How does your municipal utility make life easier for its customers?

Prizes
The scholarship fund is split into $2,000, $1,500, $1,000 and $500 scholarships, and awarded to essay contest winners who plan to attend a post-secondary educational institution.

Guidelines for submission
Because decisions by judges and disqualifications according to the guidelines are final, entrants should read and follow these guidelines closely:

  • Judges will look particularly for originality and the relevance of the prompts to the writer and his/her city.
  • High school seniors are eligible. Those eligible must be, or have as a legal guardian, a customer of an MMUA-member municipal electric or gas utility.
  • Essays are to be original and from 500 to 750 words, typed and double-spaced.
  • All essays should include a cover page, with the writer’s name and address.
  • Deadline for submitting essays to RPU is March 31, 2023.

Entries shall be submitted to the governing body of the municipal utility.  (The local governing body may appoint a separate individual or group to judge entries.)  The local governing body will send the winning essay to MMUA for entry into the statewide contest.  A committee of MMUA members will select the winners, with an announcement by mid-May.

An independent person or body may be designated to select the winner of the local essay.  If there is an independent body selecting the winner and they do not know who wrote which essay, relatives of utility personnel are eligible to enter the contest.

Resource Materials

Your local utility is the best resource for information and printed materials. A meeting with RPU staff or board is required for essay submission. Local resources and interviews will provide you with more detailed information on your utility background, operations, and goals. Contact Tony Benson at RPU 507-280-1534 or tbenson@rpu.org as a resource if needed. You may also want to visit www.mmua.org and www.publicpower.org

Payment

Scholarship money will be payable upon receipt of fee statement copy from an accredited post-secondary educational institution. The award check will be made payable to the contest winner and the post-secondary institution. If the contest winner does not attend an accredited post-secondary educational institution within two years, the money will revert to a trust fund and become available to future contest winners.

Due Date

Deadline to Rochester Public Utilities is Friday, March 31, 2023.

Contact info

For questions regarding the MMUA scholarship contact Tony Benson at 507-280-1534.

Essay Materials and Deadline

Facility Tours

RPU is proud to be part of the Rochester community, and we would like to share our expertise and knowledge with you. Tours are available by request. Certain facilities may not be available for tours due to safety, security, or maintenance reasons.

For general information on RPU, to schedule tours of our facilities, or for media inquiries, please contact:

Tony Benson
Communications Coordinator
RPU
4000 East River Road NE
Rochester, MN 55906

Phone: 507-280-1534
Email: tbenson@rpu.org