Residential Info

Surface Water Management Utility Rates  (Effective January 1, 2024)

The Surface Water Management Utility was implemented by the City of Marshall in 2004 as a method of financing the administration, planning, implementation, and maintenance of Marshall's storm sewer system.  Marshall Municipal Utilities (MMU) provides billing services only for this utility.  Questions regarding Surface Water Management can be directed to the City of Marshall's Engineering Department at (507) 537-6773.

Read more: Surface Water Management Utility Rates

Electric Rates  (Effective January 1, 2023)

Residential Rates 

This rate is for customers who use electricity for the primary purpose of operating a household. The fixed charge recovers part of the cost of transmission and distribution lines, transformers, and metering. All new, remodeled, or rewired residential units must be individually metered. Exception: Multi-unit facilities providing care to elderly or disabled persons may be master metered in accordance with state statute (326B.106 Subd.12). 

     Fixed Charge: $21.50 per month      
     Energy Rate:
     January through March Billings:      
     All kWh per month @ $0.07100 per kWh     
     July through September Billings:      
     All kWh per month @ $0.08100 per kWh      
     April through June and October through December Billings:      
     All kWh per month @ $0.06600 per kWh

Residential Interruptible Rates
This rate is for customers who use electricity as their primary heat source and who have a non-electric auxiliary source of heat or storage heat which would be sufficient to allow MMU to curtail their electric heat for up to 12 hours in any 24 hour period, or have a residential demand control unit. Each heat source (electric and auxiliary) must meet the qualifications specified by MMU and be capable of supplying the total heat necessary for the building in all weather conditions. The Residential Interruptible Heat Rate shall be effective for six (6) months per year on the November through April billings. Consumption on the May through October billings shall be billed at the Residential Rate.

     Fixed Charge: $21.50 per month
     Energy Rate:
     January through March Billings:
     First 1,500 kWh per month @ $0.07100 per kWh
     All kWh over 1,500 per month @ $0.04200 per kWh
     November, December, and April Billings:
     First 1,500 kWh per month @ $0.06600 per kWh
     All kWh over 1,500 per month @ $0.04200 per kWh
     July through September Billings:
     All kWh per month @ $0.08100 per kWh
     May, June and October Billings:
     All kWh per month @ $0.06600 per kWh  

Power Cost Adjustment

A power cost adjustment shall apply to all kWh usage for all customer classes.  The power cost adjustment amount is determined by comparing MMU's actual power supply costs (minus the Industrial Rate class) to a base kwh cost. The power cost adjustment reflects either an increase or decrease in power supply costs, which may raise or lower your net monthly cost for electricity.

Waste Water (Sewer) Rates  (Effective January 1, 2024)

Base Charge:  $24.26 per month (minimum)
Wastewater Rate:  $4.78 per 1,000 gallons of water used.  

Service to more than one customer through one water meter under a single billing will be allowed. The minimum sewer charge and the usage charge (based on water usage) in each block of the rate schedule will be multiplied by the number of units served. The customer shall receive only one bill for the multiple occupancies.

The City of Marshall prohibits connection of sump pump discharges to the sanitary sewer without a permit. Failure to allow inspection by City of Marshall officials for proper sump pump discharge will result in the following charges assessed on Marshall Municipal Utilities' billing statement.

Wastewater Violation 1: The property owner shall be assessed a $50 monthly fee for failure to provide inspection by City of Marshall Officials under Section 78-73. The fee shall be initiated beginning the 16th day after notice is sent from the City. Upon notification from the City of Marshall to Marshall Municipal Utilities, the fee shall commence on the effected property owner's next utility billing and shall continue until the next utility billing cycle after city inspection is completed, the date the alternative inspection report under Section 78-73 is received by the City of Marshall, or Wastewater Violation 2 fee goes into effect.

Wastewater Violation 2: The property owner shall be assessed a $100 monthly fee for violation under Section 78-74. The fee shall be initiated after a notice and deadline for correction have expired. Upon notification from the City of Marshall to Marshall Municipal Utilities, the fee shall commence on the effected property owner's next utility billing and shall continue until the next utility billing cycle after correction is inspected and approved by the City of Marshall.

For more information regarding the City of Marshall's Wastewater Violation ordinance, please contact the City of Marshall Wastewater Department at (507) 537-6776.

Summer Sewer Rates
The City of Marshall's Summer Sewer Rate goes into effect each June and takes into account the added water usage for lawn and yard sprinkling. For one to four family residential properties, the monthly user charges on the June through November bills shall not exceed the average monthly user charges of the previous February through May billings.

NOTE: Wastewater (sewer) charges are billed and collected by Marshall Municipal Utilities. The Wastewater system is operated by and rates are set by the City of Marshall. Any questions regarding wastewater services can be directed to the City of Marshall at (507) 537-6776.

Surface Water Management Utility Rates  (Effective January 1, 2024)

The Surface Water Management Utility was implemented by the City of Marshall in 2004 as a method of financing the administration, planning, implementation, and maintenance of Marshall's storm sewer system.  Marshall Municipal Utilities (MMU) provides billing services only for this utility.  Questions regarding Surface Water Management can be directed to the City of Marshall's Engineering Department at (507) 537-6773.

(1) For property five acres and greater, the developed portion of the property is included in Classification 4.  The open space portion of the property is included in Classification 7 or 8.

(2) The developed portion of the property is included in Classification 5.  For property five acres and greater, the open space portion of the property is included in Classification 7 or 8.

(3) Vacant rate is based on a flat charge of $2.96 per acre.

(4) Agricultural rate is based on a flat charge of $0.74 per acre and must be a minimum of five acres.

Call Before You Dig!

State law requires that anyone digging in Minnesota must contact Gopher State One Call (GSOC) before digging if using power equipment. Even if hand digging, you are encouraged to call if unfamiliar with the location of underground utilities.

Gopher State One Call is the state-wide notification center for excavating in Minnesota. There is no charge for this service. The service provides crucial damage prevention.

Calls requesting the marking of underground utilities should be made at least 48 hours prior to the start of digging. The Gopher State One Call Utility Locate request phone number is: 1 (800) 852-1166 or you can dial 811. You can also initiate a locate rquest on-line at the follwoing link: Gopher State One Call Online Locate Request.

The person who is doing the digging is responsible for contacting GSOC.

After the call is made, Marshall Municipal Utilities (MMU) along with other utility providers will be notified by GSOC to locate and mark any underground utilities in the specified area. MMU utility operators will mark our underground electric utilities with RED markings and our water utilities with BLUE markings.

After the underground utilities have been marked and the 48 hour time frame has elapsed, the excavation work may begin.

Helpful Tips:

•  You should call GSOC 2 business days before digging. Business hours are 7 am to
  5 pm Monday through Friday.
• Gopher State One Call can only locate services that utilities have installed. You or a
  private locator will have to locate other services such as sprinkler lines, power lines
  installed to garages, a gas grill line, invisible fencing, etc.
• If you hire a professional locator, they are responsible for contacting GSOC.
• Mark the digging area with white stakes or white spray paint, Otherwise the utility
  might locate your entire lot.
• You must not dig any closer than two (2) feet from any utility markings.

Have the following information ready before calling:
- Your Name
- Phone Number
- Street Address
- Specific Dig Location
- Nearest Intersection
- Type of Work
- Start Date and Time

Click here for the State GSOC Website

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers energy efficiency rebates to our residential customers to help conserve energy, save money, and keep our utility rates among the lowest in the area.

• Rebates

Our ENERGY STAR^®  Appliance Rebate program offers rebates to MMU Electric Customers towards the purchase of ENERGY STAR^® qualified Clothes Washers, Clothes Dryers, Dishwashers, Refrigerators, Freezers, and Room Air Conditioners.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $100 rebate towards the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washer. ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washer's clean clothes using up to 50% less energy and water than conventional clothes washers.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $50 rebate towards the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified electric clothes dryer. ENERGY STAR qualified clothes dryer's dry clothes using more than 20% less energy than conventional clothes dryers.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $50 rebate towards the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher. ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers are, on average, 10% more efficient than standard models.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $50 rebate towards the purchase of a full size (7.75 cubic feet or larger) ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator or freezer. ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator's are required to be at least 10% more energy efficient than standard models.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $25 rebate towards the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified room air conditioner. ENERGY STAR qualified room air conditioners use at least 10% less energy than standard models.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $10 rebate towards the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified dehumidifier. ENERGY STAR qualified dehumidifiers use 10-20% less energy than standard models.

ENERGY STAR appliance rebate forms can be picked up at our office, mailed, faxed, or downloaded here: ENERGY STAR Appliance Rebate form. Appliance Rebate Forms are also available at all local retail stores.

ENERGY STAR^tm Central Air Conditioner Rebate 
Marshall Municipal Utilities offers rebates towards the purchase of new ENERGY STAR^tm qualified central air conditioners when installed with MMU's load management receiver (ELF).

ENERGY STAR qualified central air conditioners have a higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 (SEER2), which make them about 8% more efficient than standard models.

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 (SEER2) is a measure of equipment energy efficiency over the cooling season. It represents the total cooling of a central air-conditioner during the normal cooling season compared to the total electric energy input (in watt-hours) consumed during the same period.

 ENERGY STAR^tm qualified models with a SEER2 rating of 15.2 or greater are eligible for a $100 per ton rebate. You will also receive a $3 monthly credit on your utility bill for 4 summer months as part of our Load Management Program.

To download a rebate application form, click here: ENERGY STAR CENTRAL A/C & HEAT PUMP Rebate Form

Installation of a programmable setback thermostat can provide additional energy savings by automatically adjusting your homes temperature to match your lifestyle. MMU offers residential customers a $25 rebate for the installation of programmable setback thermostats. Please use the ENERGY STAR CENTRAL A/C & HEAT PUMP Rebate Form  for programmable setback thermostat rebate claims.

ENERGY STAR^tm Heat pump Rebate
Marshall Municipal Utilities offers Rebates towards the purchase of new high efficiency Geothermal or qualifying Air Source Heat Pump heating and cooling systems.

To download a rebate application form click here: ENERGY STAR CENTRAL A/C & HEAT PUMP Rebate Form

Ground Source heat pumps are eligible for a $200 per ton rebate.

Geothermal Heat pump
A Geothermal or Ground Source heating and cooling system will provide you with year-round comfort at dramatically lower prices than other, less efficient systems. Geothermal Heat Pumps use the earth as a heat sink in the summer and a heat source in the winter, and therefore rely on the relative warmth of the earth for their heating and cooling source. Through a system of underground (or under water) pipes, they transfer heat from the warmer earth or water source to the building in the winter, and take the heat from the building in the summer and discharge it into the cooler ground. Therefore, Geothermal Heat Pumps don't create heat; they move it from one area to another. For every watt of energy consumed by a geothermal heat pump, 2 1/2 to 4 watts of heat will be put out. Because this system uses heat from the ground, annual operating expenses can be 35% to 70% lower than most other heating systems available. In addition to lower utility bills, you can also receive valuable rebates from MMU on your purchase of a geothermal system.

Air Source Heat pump

ENERGY STAR^tm qualified Air Source heat pumps with a SEER2 rating of 15.2 or greater are eligible for a $150 per ton rebate. You will also receive a $3 monthly credit for 4 summer months on your utility bill as part of our Load Management program.

Air Source Heat Pumps operate by moving or transferring heat, rather than creating it. During the summer, a heat pump captures heat from inside a home or business and transfers it to the outdoor air through a condensing unit. During the winter, the process is reversed. Heat is captured from outdoor air (even at temperatures below freezing), compressed, and released inside.

The key to understanding how a heat pump works is that even when it is very "cold" outside there is heat energy in the air. Air would need to be -460 degrees F ("absolute zero") for there to be no heat energy. A day that is 20 degrees F outside is 480 degrees F above absolute zero. 70 degrees F is 530 degrees F above absolute zero. So a heat pump only has to move the heat uphill a relatively small distance. It uses the "refrigeration cycle" to do this.

The Heat Pump Refrigeration Cycle
A refrigerant is a fluid which vaporizes (boils) at a low temperature. The refrigerant circulates through tubes ("refrigerant lines") that travel throughout the heat pump. We'll begin our description of the refrigeration cycle at point A on the illustration below, which describes the heat pump when it is heating the house.

At point A the refrigerant is a cold liquid -- colder than the outdoor air. The refrigerant flows to the outdoor coil (point B). This coil is a "heat exchanger" with a large surface area to absorb heat from the air into the colder refrigerant. The heat added to the refrigerant causes the fluid to vaporize, so this heat exchanger is called the "evaporator coil" during the heating cycle. When materials change state (in this case from liquid to gas), large amounts of energy transfer take place.

At point C the refrigerant is a cool gas, having been warmed and vaporized by the outdoor air. It is too cool to warm the house, so that's where the compressor (point D) comes in. The compressor raises the pressure of the gas. When that happens, the gas temperature rises. One way to think about it is that the compressor concentrates the heat energy. The compressor is often thought of as the "heart" of the heat pump, since it does most of the work of forcing heat "uphill." The compressor also forces the now hot gas (point E) further into the cycle.

The indoor coil (point F) is where the refrigerant gives up its heat to the indoor air. A fan blows air past the indoor coil to distribute heat to the house. This cools the refrigerant to the point where much of it condenses, forming a liquid. In the heating season, the indoor coil is called the "condenser coil." This change of state results in a large transfer of heat energy.

The warm mixture of liquid and gas (point G) continues through the cycle to point H - the expansion device (sometimes called a "metering device"). This device reduces the pressure, causing the refrigerant, to become cold again - cold enough so that it is once again ready to absorb heat from the cool outdoor air and repeat the cycle.

Cooling with a Heat Pump
One advantage of a heat pump is that in the summer it works just like an air conditioner to cool the house. Most heat pumps have a "reversing valve" to switch the flow of refrigerant so that it pumps heat from indoors to outdoors.

Participation in Marshall Municipal Utilities Load Management Program is a condition of service for all new construction and remodeling where electric water heating, electric heating, or central air conditioning is installed. By allowing MMU to cycle these appliances during our peak times, we can keep our energy rates low by reducing the need to purchase additional volatile peak power and at the same time conserve our natural resources.

The controller is provided at no charge and MMU will pay $30 towards the installation and one connected load plus $10 for each additional load connected. Call us at 537-7005 for more information on how you can start saving money on your utility bill through our Load Management Program.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers the following credits for participation in our Load Management Program.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers rebates for the replacement of inefficient incandescent lighting with high-efficiency LED lighting. Rebates are also available for new installations with savings based on the equivalent wattage of incandescent lighting.

WHAT IS AN LED BULB?

Light Emitting Diode or LED bulbs can also replace most standard incandescent bulbs and offer many benefits. They use up to 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs while providing the same amount of light output (lumens), can last over 25,000 hours, contain no mercury, and give off less heat than standard bulbs. Several designs and sizes are available to replace bulbs in indoor and outdoor light fixtures, lamps, recessed lighting, and floodlights.

WILL HIGH-EFFICIENCY LIGHTING LOWER MY UTILITY BILL?

High-efficiency LED lighting will save you money on your utility bill because they use less electricity than regular incandescent bulbs.

For example: If you were to replace a 60 watt incandescent bulb (840 lumens with an average life of 1,000 hours) with a 10 watt LED bulb (800 lumens with an expected life of 20,000 hours) you would save approximately $5 per year in electricity costs based on MMU's current rates and not have to replace your bulb for up to 20 years.

HOW MUCH WILL MY REBATE BE?

The rebate amount is $.20 per nameplate watt saved through the installation of high-efficiency lighting or the purchase price of the new lighting, whichever is less. The recommended minimum rebate application amount is $25.00.

For example: If you replace (ten) 60-watt incandescent bulbs with (ten) 10-watt LED bulbs, you would save 450 watts. 500 watts saved X $.20 per nameplate watt = $100.00. The rebate amount would be $100 or the price of the new bulbs, whichever is less. Most new LED's cost less than the rebate amount, so the entire cost of the bulbs are usually covered by MMU's rebate. You get the benefit of saving energy with no expense.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO RECEIVE MY REBATE?

To qualify for your rebate, you will need to fill out and sign a Residential Lighting Rebate Application Form and return it to MMU along with the following:

1) The original receipt for your new lighting .

2) The packaging showing the nameplate watts and lumens of the new bulbs.

3) The old bulbs that you have replaced. (Unless this is a new application)

After receipt of your completed application, MMU will issue a credit on your next utility billing, or a check if the rebate amount is over a $100, or you are a budget bill customer. Rebate amounts less than $100 are automatically given as a credit on your utility bill.

WHERE CAN I PURCHASE LED BULBS?

Bulbs can be purchased at most hardware stores, home improvement stores, and discount centers.

Bulbs with the ENERGY STAR^� logo offer the assurance of additional quality testing and a minimum 2 year warranty. To view a list of qualifying bulbs, visit the ENERGY STAR^�website.

MMU does not endorse any particular vendor, manufacturer, or product in promoting this rebate program. MMU does recommend the purchase of ENERGY STAR^� qualified lighting.

For more information on LED lighting, or questions regarding this rebate, please call MMU at 537-7005.

Compact fluorescent bulbs do contain a small amount of mercury. Minnesota Law requires all types of fluorescent bulbs to be recycled. To help ensure proper recycling, Marshall Municipal Utilities' customers can bring unbroken, burned out CFL's to our office at 113 South 4th Street, Marshall MN, and we will recycle them at no charge to the customer.

Bulbs can also be brought to the Lyon County Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 504 Fairgrounds Road, Marshall, MN 56258. For more information on recycling and hours of operation, they can be reached at 532-8210. Current recycling cost for CFL's at the Lyon County Household Hazardous Waste Facility is $.50 per bulb.

BRIGHT ENERGY CHOICES

 Marshall Municipal Utilities is excited to announce a new program called Bright Energy Choices (BEC) that provides our customers an opportunity to choose the source of generation of electricity they purchase for their home or business.

What is Bright Energy Choices?
Our Bright Energy Choices Program allows customers to purchase Renewable Energy Certificates, (RECs). RECs are proof that electricity was generated by qualifying renewable facilities, like wind and solar, and fed into the electric grid. These RECs are available through Missouri River Energy Services (MRES), our supplemental wholesale power supplier.
At Marshall Municipal Utilities, 31 percent of the energy purchased is already supplied by renewable resources, including wind, solar, and hydroelectric power plants along the Missouri River. By enrolling in Bright Energy Choices, your home/business can purchase RECs to offset the non-renewable portion of your energy consumption, in effect, making your consumption 100 percent renewable. "Greening up" your energy purchases helps to promote the development of future renewable resources and demonstrates your support for our environment.

How much does it cost?
A Bright Energy Choices adder will be applied to 69% of your actual monthly energy purchases. This adder will be in addition to your regular energy charges. The Bright Energy Choices adder for 2024 is $0.001 per kWh. For example, if you use 1,000 kWh per month, 690 kWh's would have the $0.001 per kWH adder applied to it costing you an additional $0.69 per month to be considered 100% renewable.

What else do I need to know?

For additional details/information please contact Mark Antony at (507) 537-7005 or via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
To sign up for Bright Energy Choices click here to download a Bright Energy Choices Order Form

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a rebate of $50 for installing qualifying WaterSense^® labeled High Efficiency toilets when replacing an existing older unit, remodeling, or in new construction.

Toilets are by far the main source of water use in the home, accounting for nearly 30% of residential indoor water consumption. WaterSense, a program sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is helping consumers identify high-performance, water efficient toilets that can reduce water use in the home and preserve our precious water resources.

The WaterSense label is used on toilets that are certified by independent laboratory testing to meet rigorous criteria for both performance and efficiency. Only high-efficiency toilets that complete the third-party certification process can earn the WaterSense label. WaterSense qualified toilets use 20% less water than the current standard while still providing equal or superior performance.

Replacing a 20 year old toilet with a new WaterSense qualified unit could save more than $100 per year in water and wastewater costs. So whether you are remodeling a bathroom, starting construction, or simply replacing an old, leaky toilet, installing a WaterSense labeled toilet is a high-performance, water efficient option worth considering.

WaterSense Toilet rebate forms can be picked up at our office, mailed, faxed, or downloaded here: High Efficiency Toilet Rebate form.

For additional information regarding WaterSense^® labeled products and for a list of qualifying WaterSense toilets, visit their website at www.epa.gov/WaterSense/products/toilets.html or contact Marshall Municipal Utilities at (507) 537-7005.

Marshall Municipal Utilities also offers our customers free WaterSense qualified Niagara water saving showerhead and faucet aerators. Please contact Mark Antony at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or (507) 537-7005 for more information on how to receive your free water saving showerhead or faucet aerator.

Our ENERGY STAR^® Appliance Rebate program offers rebates to MMU Electric Customers towards the purchase of ENERGY STAR^® qualified Clothes Washers, Clothes Dryers, Dishwashers, Refrigerators, Freezers, and Room Air Conditioners.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $100 rebate towards the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washer. ENERGY STAR qualified clothes washer's clean clothes using up to 50% less energy and water than conventional clothes washers.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $50 rebate towards the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified electric clothes dryer. ENERGY STAR qualified clothes dryer's dry clothes using more than 20% less energy than conventional clothes dryers.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $50 rebate towards the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified dishwasher. ENERGY STAR qualified dishwashers are, on average, 10% more efficient than standard models.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $50 rebate towards the purchase of a full size (7.75 cubic feet or larger) ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator or freezer. ENERGY STAR qualified refrigerator's are required to be at least 10% more energy efficient than standard models.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $25 rebate towards the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified room air conditioner. ENERGY STAR qualified room air conditioners use at least 10% less energy than standard models.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers a $15 rebate towards the purchase of an ENERGY STAR qualified dehumidifier. ENERGY STAR qualified dehumidifiers use 10-20% less energy than standard models.

ENERGY STAR appliance rebate forms can be picked up at our office, mailed, faxed, or downloaded here: ENERGY STAR Appliance Rebate form. Appliance Rebate Forms are also available at all local retail stores.

Participation in Marshall Municipal Utilities Load Management Program is a condition of service for all new construction and remodeling where electric water heating, electric heating, or central air conditioning is installed. By allowing MMU to cycle these appliances during our peak times, we can keep our energy rates low by reducing the need to purchase additional volatile peak power and at the same time conserve our natural resources.

The controller is provided at no charge and MMU will pay $30 towards the installation and one connected load plus $10 for each additional load connected. Call us at 537-7005 for more information on how you can start saving money on your utility bill through our Load Management Program.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers the following credits for participation in our Load Management Program.

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers incentives for the purchase of ChargePoint^®  Home Flex level 2 electric vehicle chargers. To qualify, each charger must be associated with one electric vehicle and ChargePoint Utility Web Portal access activated.

Marshall Municipal Utilities also offers a $150 rebate for the purchase of other brand EV chargers.

For additional Electric Vehicle rebate information and to download a Rebate Application Form click here: Electric Vehicle Rebate Application

For additional information about the benefits, selection, and savings opportunities of an electric vehicle please click on the following link: Electric Vehicle Information

Marshall Municipal Utilities offers rebates for the replacement of inefficient incandescent lighting with high-efficiency LED lighting. Rebates are also available for new installations with savings based on the equivalent wattage of incandescent lighting.

WHAT IS AN LED BULB?

Light Emitting Diode or LED bulbs can also replace most standard incandescent bulbs and offer many benefits. They use up to 80% less energy than incandescent bulbs while providing the same amount of light output (lumens), can last over 25,000 hours, contain no mercury, and give off less heat than standard bulbs. Several designs and sizes are available to replace bulbs in indoor and outdoor light fixtures, lamps, recessed lighting, and floodlights.

WILL HIGH-EFFICIENCY LIGHTING LOWER MY UTILITY BILL?

High-efficiency LED lighting will save you money on your utility bill because they use less electricity than regular incandescent bulbs.

For example: If you were to replace a 60 watt incandescent bulb (840 lumens with an average life of 1,000 hours) with a 10 watt LED bulb (800 lumens with an expected life of 15,000 hours) you would save approximately $60 in electricity and bulb replacement costs over the life of the bulb based on MMU's current rates.

HOW MUCH WILL MY REBATE BE?

The rebate amount is $.20 per nameplate watt saved through the installation of high-efficiency lighting or the purchase price of the new lighting, whichever is less. The recommended minimum rebate application amount is $25.00.

For example: If you replace (ten) 60-watt incandescent bulbs with (ten) 10-watt LED bulbs, you would save 500 watts. 500 watts saved X $.20 per nameplate watt = $100.00. The rebate amount would be $100 or the price of the new bulbs, whichever is less. Most new LED's cost less than the rebate amount, so the entire cost of the bulbs are usually covered by MMU's rebate. You get the benefit of saving energy with no expense. Some LED bulbs will cost more than the MMU rebate amount, but the longer bulb life and additional energy savings will more than offset the higher initial cost.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO RECEIVE MY REBATE?

To qualify for your rebate, you will need to fill out and sign a Residential Lighting Rebate Application Form and return it to MMU along with the following:

1) The original receipt for your new lighting .
2) The packaging showing the nameplate watts and lumens of the new bulbs.
3) The old bulbs that you have replaced. (Unless this is a new application)

After receipt of your completed application, MMU will issue a credit on your next utility billing, or a check if the rebate amount is over a $100, or you are a budget bill customer. Rebate amounts less than $100 are automatically given as a credit on your utility bill.

WHERE CAN I PURCHASE LED BULBS?

Bulbs can be purchased at most hardware stores, home improvement stores, and discount centers.

Bulbs with the ENERGY STAR^® logo offer the assurance of additional quality testing and a minimum 2 year warranty. To view a list of qualifying bulbs, visit the ENERGY STAR^® website.

MMU does not endorse any particular vendor, manufacturer, or product in promoting this rebate program. MMU does recommend the purchase of ENERGY STAR^® qualified lighting.

For more information on LED lighting, or questions regarding this rebate, please call MMU at 537-7005.

Compact fluorescent bulbs do contain a small amount of mercury. Minnesota Law requires all types of fluorescent bulbs to be recycled. To help ensure proper recycling, Marshall Municipal Utilities' customers can bring unbroken, burned out CFL's to our office at 113 South 4th Street, Marshall MN, and we will recycle them at no charge to the customer.

Bulbs can also be brought to the Lyon County Household Hazardous Waste Facility at 504 Fairgrounds Road, Marshall, MN 56258. For more information on recycling and hours of operation, they can be reached at 532-8210.

ENERGY STAR^® Central Air Conditioner Rebate 
Marshall Municipal Utilities offers rebates towards the purchase of new ENERGY STAR^® qualified central air conditioners when installed with MMU's load management receiver (ELF).

ENERGY STAR^® qualified central air conditioners have a higher Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 (SEER2), which make them about 8% more efficient than standard models.

Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio 2 (SEER2) is a measure of equipment energy efficiency over the cooling season. It represents the total cooling of a central air-conditioner during the normal cooling season compared to the total electric energy input (in watt-hours) consumed during the same period.

ENERGY STAR^® qualified models with a SEER2 rating of 15.2 or greater are eligible for a $100 per ton rebate. You will also receive a $3 monthly credit on your utility bill for 4 summer months as part of our Load Management Program.

To download a rebate application form, click here: ENERGY STAR CENTRAL A/C & HEAT PUMP Rebate Form

Installation of a programmable setback thermostat can provide additional energy savings by automatically adjusting your homes temperature to match your lifestyle. MMU offers residential customers a $25 rebate for the installation of programmable setback thermostats. Please use the ENERGY STAR CENTRAL A/C & HEAT PUMP Rebate Form for programmable setback thermostat rebate claims.

ENERGY STAR^®  Heat pump Rebate
Marshall Municipal Utilities offers Rebates towards the purchase of new high efficiency Geothermal or qualifying Air Source Heat Pump heating and cooling systems.

To download a rebate application form click here: ENERGY STAR CENTRAL A/C & HEAT PUMP Rebate Form

Ground Source heat pumps are eligible for a $200 per ton rebate.

Geothermal Heat pump
A Geothermal or Ground Source heating and cooling system will provide you with year-round comfort at dramatically lower prices than other, less efficient systems. Geothermal Heat Pumps use the earth as a heat sink in the summer and a heat source in the winter, and therefore rely on the relative warmth of the earth for their heating and cooling source. Through a system of underground (or under water) pipes, they transfer heat from the warmer earth or water source to the building in the winter, and take the heat from the building in the summer and discharge it into the cooler ground. Therefore, Geothermal Heat Pumps don't create heat; they move it from one area to another. For every watt of energy consumed by a geothermal heat pump, 2 1/2 to 4 watts of heat will be put out. Because this system uses heat from the ground, annual operating expenses can be 35% to 70% lower than most other heating systems available. In addition to lower utility bills, you can also receive valuable rebates from MMU on your purchase of a geothermal system.

Air Source Heat pump

ENERGY STAR^® qualified Air Source heat pumps with a SEER2 rating of 15.2 or greater are eligible for a $150 per ton rebate. You will also receive a $3 monthly credit for 4 summer months on your utility bill as part of our Load Management program.

Air Source Heat Pumps operate by moving or transferring heat, rather than creating it. During the summer, a heat pump captures heat from inside a home or business and transfers it to the outdoor air through a condensing unit. During the winter, the process is reversed. Heat is captured from outdoor air (even at temperatures below freezing), compressed, and released inside.

The key to understanding how a heat pump works is that even when it is very "cold" outside there is heat energy in the air. Air would need to be -460 degrees F ("absolute zero") for there to be no heat energy. A day that is 20 degrees F outside is 480 degrees F above absolute zero. 70 degrees F is 530 degrees F above absolute zero. So a heat pump only has to move the heat uphill a relatively small distance. It uses the "refrigeration cycle" to do this.

The Heat Pump Refrigeration Cycle
A refrigerant is a fluid which vaporizes (boils) at a low temperature. The refrigerant circulates through tubes ("refrigerant lines") that travel throughout the heat pump. We'll begin our description of the refrigeration cycle at point A on the illustration below, which describes the heat pump when it is heating the house.

At point A the refrigerant is a cold liquid -- colder than the outdoor air. The refrigerant flows to the outdoor coil (point B). This coil is a "heat exchanger" with a large surface area to absorb heat from the air into the colder refrigerant. The heat added to the refrigerant causes the fluid to vaporize, so this heat exchanger is called the "evaporator coil" during the heating cycle. When materials change state (in this case from liquid to gas), large amounts of energy transfer take place.

At point C the refrigerant is a cool gas, having been warmed and vaporized by the outdoor air. It is too cool to warm the house, so that's where the compressor (point D) comes in. The compressor raises the pressure of the gas. When that happens, the gas temperature rises. One way to think about it is that the compressor concentrates the heat energy. The compressor is often thought of as the "heart" of the heat pump, since it does most of the work of forcing heat "uphill." The compressor also forces the now hot gas (point E) further into the cycle.

The indoor coil (point F) is where the refrigerant gives up its heat to the indoor air. A fan blows air past the indoor coil to distribute heat to the house. This cools the refrigerant to the point where much of it condenses, forming a liquid. In the heating season, the indoor coil is called the "condenser coil." This change of state results in a large transfer of heat energy.

The warm mixture of liquid and gas (point G) continues through the cycle to point H - the expansion device (sometimes called a "metering device"). This device reduces the pressure, causing the refrigerant, to become cold again - cold enough so that it is once again ready to absorb heat from the cool outdoor air and repeat the cycle.

Cooling with a Heat Pump
One advantage of a heat pump is that in the summer it works just like an air conditioner to cool the house. Most heat pumps have a "reversing valve" to switch the flow of refrigerant so that it pumps heat from indoors to outdoors.

Electric

Approximately 20% of our energy is purchased from Western Area Power Administration (WAPA). Western Area Power Administration markets and delivers reliable, cost-based hydroelectric power and related services within a 15-state region of the central and western U.S.

The remaining 80% of our energy is purchased through
Missouri River Energy Services (MRES) from generation at the Laramie River Station in Wyoming, Point Beach Nuclear Plant in Wisconsin, along with various other resources including wind and hydro. The Laramie River Station is a coal-fired electric generating station located six miles east of Wheatland, WY. It is recognized as one of the most highly efficient, cleanest-operating electric generating stations technically feasible. The plant's sophisticated environmental control equipment, which cost more than $300 million, protects the land, air and water. Laramie River Station itself was constructed for a cost of $1.6 billion and has a total generating capacity of 1,650 megawatts (MW). MRES is a joint-action agency with 61 member communities in the states of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota.

Water

Odd/Even Sprinkling Schedule
Each year on Earth Day, April 23rd, MMU's odd/even sprinkling schedules goes into effect.
This schedule helps conserve water and balance out the demand on our water filtration plant.
If the last digit of your residence number is an odd number, you may water on odd numbered
calendar days. If the last digit of your residence is an even number, you may water on even
numbered calendar days.