What Minnesota utilities pay for a smart thermostat
Each card is for a different company. Look at your bills to see which gas and electric companies you have, and then check each one. They are separate programs.
CenterPoint Energy (gas customers)
$50 for a smart or Wi-Fi programmable thermostat and $10 for a basic programmable one. One per gas address, installed in 2026. The price you pay must be more than the rebate.
Minnesota Power (electric customers)
For a low-voltage Wi-Fi thermostat in a home whose main heat is electric. A participating contractor can install and file for you.
Rochester Public Utilities (electric customers)
Half the price, up to $100 with electric heat, $50 with a heat pump and $10 with gas or other fuel, when the thermostat also runs your air conditioner. One per home.
Xcel Energy (electric customers with air conditioning)
Xcel's page lists eligible models and says you get an instant rebate at checkout in its online store, but shows no dollar amount. The $50 figure is from an older rebate sheet.
Working it out
A $130 smart thermostat in a Rochester home with electric heat and central air could earn $65, which is half the price, because the rule is half the cost up to $100. The same thermostat in a CenterPoint gas home earns $50, so it costs $80. If you also use Xcel for electricity, ask Xcel whether you may claim its rebate too. Xcel's program rules say you cannot get two rebates for the same improvement through different Xcel programs.
Which thermostat works with which system
The word "smart" is not enough. Most rebate pages say the thermostat must match your heating and cooling. Minnesota Power asks for a low-voltage model, and the company has a separate page for line-voltage models used with baseboard heaters. Rochester Public Utilities pays different amounts depending on whether your heat is electric, a heat pump, or gas, and whether the thermostat controls your air conditioner. Xcel limits its offer to single-family homes, duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes with central air conditioning. Condos and apartment buildings are not covered.
Before you buy, check the model number against the utility's list or the ENERGY STAR product finder. A thermostat that does not work with your wiring will save nothing.
Easy to get wrong: stacking and timing
CenterPoint allows one rebate per gas address. Rochester allows one thermostat per home. Xcel lets you get the rebate at checkout in its online store, or file for a rebate on a thermostat you bought elsewhere with an invoice that lists the thermostat cost on its own line. For Minnesota Power and Rochester, keep the receipt. Both ask for it. Minnesota Power's form wants purchases between January 1 and December 31, 2026, and Rochester wants applications in by March 31, 2027.
Do not wait until next year. Utilities set new rules each January, and we have seen amounts change.
Extra programs that pay you to share control
Some utilities also pay you to enroll your thermostat in a program that adjusts it a little during times of peak demand. Rochester calls its program Bring Your Own Device. Xcel has one called AC Rewards, and an older sheet lists a $100 sign-up credit and $25 each year. We did not read the current pages for these, so we do not list them as rebates. If you are comfortable with a small, short change in temperature on very hot days, ask your utility whether a thermostat you already own can enroll.
Does a smart thermostat save money on a heat pump?
It can, and it can also be annoying. Heat pumps work best when the temperature is held steady. A thermostat that turns the heat way down at night and way up in the morning can make a heat pump call on its backup heater, which costs more. Ask your installer how to set it up. Many smart thermostats have a heat pump setting that fixes this.
How to claim a Minnesota smart thermostat rebate
- Look at your gas and electric bills to see which companies serve your home.
- Pick a thermostat that works with your heating and cooling system and is on the right list.
- Keep the receipt. Make sure the price of the thermostat is on its own line.
- File with each company that pays: CenterPoint, Minnesota Power, Rochester Public Utilities or Xcel.
- File before the year-end or spring deadline shown on that company's form.
More for Minnesota homes
- Minnesota home rebates: every program in one place
- Xcel Energy Minnesota rebates: what Xcel pays for each upgrade
- CenterPoint Energy Minnesota rebates: gas rebates including a hybrid heat pump
- Minneapolis home rebates: utility and city programs
- Rochester home rebates: city-owned electric rebates
- Duluth home rebates: Minnesota Power rebates
Common questions
How much do Minnesota utilities pay for a smart thermostat?
CenterPoint pays $50 for a smart model and $10 for a basic one. Minnesota Power pays $50. Rochester Public Utilities pays half the price up to $100. Xcel lists $50 on an older sheet that we could not confirm.
Can I claim a rebate from more than one company?
Yes, if the companies are different and each has a program, for example a gas company and an electric company. Each has its own rules, so read them. One company will not pay twice for the same thermostat.
Do I need a contractor?
No. Several of these allow you to buy and install it yourself. Minnesota Power also lets a contractor install it and file for you.
Does it work with electric baseboard heat?
Yes, with a line-voltage model. Minnesota Power lists a separate line-voltage page.
By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 6, 2026: CenterPoint Energy thermostat rebate, Minnesota Power low-voltage smart thermostat rebate, Rochester Public Utilities 2026 equipment rebate form, Xcel Energy Minnesota smart thermostats.