Minnesota Power, Duluth, MN, has formed the subsidiary MP Telecom, also based in Duluth, as a way to enter the telecommunications market. Minnesota Power owns more than 1000 mi of fiber-optic cable and has asked the state Public Utilities Commission (puc) for permission to provide private line and special access services through MP Telecom. puc approval would let MP Telecom market access to its fiber network to wholesale customers and high-volume users, such as long-distance telephone companies, Internet providers, or other business users.