Heartland customers not impacted by Canadian tariffs

The latest buzz coming from Washington is tariffs. But the biggest question is how they impact everyday Americans.  

Tariffs are announced, rescinded and re-worked, sometimes all in the same day.  

Ontario imposed a 25 percent surcharge to all electricity exports sent to the U.S. on Monday. This would have affected the states of New York, Michigan and Minnesota — following President Donald Trump’s similar tariffs on products imported from Canada. 

By Tuesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford suspended the surcharge after conversing with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in the wake of Trump’s threats to hike steel and aluminum tariffs on the nation by 50%. 

The good news is Heartland Energy was not anticipating any rate increases had the tariff been imposed. 

“Heartland Energy does not have any contracts in place with electricity providers in Ontario and we do not anticipate any impact to rates,” said Heartland Chief Operations Officer Nate Jones. 

Heartland Energy customers in Minnesota are in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) footprint, which manages electricity distribution across 15 central states along with Manitoba.

According to MISO spokesperson Brandon Morris, less than 1% of MISO’s total energy in 2024 was supplied via Canadian imports. Less than half of that came from Ontario. 

He compared it to the output of one power plant, and said the grid manages the temporary loss of power plants every day while maintaining a reliable system. 

Ontario is not part of the MISO footprint but sends power to it. 

Ontario generators sold about 12 million MWh to the U.S. in 2023 across the three electric interconnections between the province and the U.S., according to a letter sent Monday to Ontario’s grid operator from Ontario Minister of Energy and Electrification Stephen Lecce.  

Energy industry experts have also said they expect Ontario’s energy tariffs, should they be implemented, to have a limited impact on electricity prices.  

Heartland Energy will continue to monitor the Canadian tariffs and any others relevant to the industry. We will keep you apprised of any changes to the situation.