Xcel appears to have directed its own natural gas supply to meet reserve requirements rather than generate power during 2021 storm. “It’s like someone is knocking on your door to pay a credit card bill and you are putting the money in savings.”
Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate
Posted inBusiness
Xcel’s $32M plan for Sloan Lake area ignites debate over Colorado’s energy future
Critics say Xcel Energy’s push to supply natural gas to 6,800 new customers in Denver, Edgewater and Lakewood runs afoul of Denver’s plans to reduce natural gas consumption
Posted inBusiness
Xcel Energy will hike its gas rate for a third time this year in Colorado
Xcel Energy was OK’d to increase natural gas bills for the third time this year. Consumer advocates say it could have been worse.
Posted inBusiness
Xcel Energy’s ability to meet next summer’s electricity demand hangs on two Pueblo solar projects
The transition from fossil-fuel generated electricity to renewables is proving tricky for Colorado’s largest utility.
Posted inBusiness
December natural gas bills will jump 54% as Xcel passes a stack of price hikes on to Colorado customers
Colorado’s largest utility is passing on price hikes that will raise the average natural gas bill to $177 from $115
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, News, Politics and Government
Xcel Energy cleared to collect $500 million from Coloradans for storm, but regulators say it can’t happen again
The Colorado Utilities Public Commission on Wednesday gave Xcel Energy the go-ahead to collect a half billion dollars from its customers to cover the spiraling costs of natural gas during a winter cold snap in 2021 — but the commissioners weren’t happy about it. The commission lopped an $8 million penalty off the $509 million […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy, Energy, Equity, News
Xcel Energy to raise residential electric bills by 6.4% in April, two more rate increases loom
The average electric bill for Xcel Energy’s residential customers will go up $5.24 a month — a 6.4% increase — starting in April under a $182 million rate hike approved Wednesday by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. The PUC voted 3-0 to accept the increase, which was agreed upon in rate-case negotiations that included the […]
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Economy, Energy, Environment, News
Coloradans starting to see double-digit hikes in their gas utility bills
Colorado consumers are seeing double-digit jumps in their gas utility bills this fall as providers pass on the cost of steep natural gas inflation, and the Public Utilities Commission and consumer advocates warn that a “stack” of other add-on charges are too much for customers. Rising gas charges will push the average Xcel consumer’s cost […]
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, News
After collecting $610 million from Colorado customers, regulators say it’s time to end Xcel’s pipeline repair fee
What was supposed to be a quick way to raise money to address pipeline safety issues, a little add-on of about $3 a month for the average household, has lingered on Xcel Energy natural gas bills for a decade – but it may finally end. Xcel has since 2011 raised nearly $610 million, or three […]
Posted inClimate, Economy, Energy, Environment, News
Colorado consumer advocates ask utility commission to reject $130M of Xcel’s February storm surcharge
Xcel Energy ignored numerous weather warnings when buying natural gas and failed to switch to cheaper fuel oil during the historic deep freeze in mid-February, leaving the utility helpless as spot prices spiked to 50 times base costs, according to new expert objections to proposed consumer surcharges. The state consumer advocate and the Public Utilities […]