Recent news
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Jury Finds Xcel Negligent
On Oct. 25, a Denver district court jury found in favor of CORE in its lawsuit against Public Service Company of Colorado, (Xcel), regarding the mismanagement of the Comanche Unit 3 coal-fired power plant. CORE was awarded $26.45 million for lengthy outages on 2020 and 2022 caused by Xcel’s imprudent operations and negligence.
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Marshall Fire Victims File Lawsuits Against Xcel
Multiple lawsuits have been filed against Xcel on behalf of victims of the Marshall Fire.
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Xcel Power Line Caused Marshall Fire
Authorities have reported that a downed Xcel power line caused the deadly Marshall Fire in December of 2021. The fire killed two and destroyed 1,084 residential structures.
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Who Will Pay for Xcel's Legal Costs??
Recent legislation prohibits a utility company from from “passing on expenses related to hiring outside legal help to argue for higher electric or gas rates. The new law does not address hiring outside legal help to fight lawsuits related to events like the Marshall Fire. “
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9 News Expose'
Click on the links below to see the stories in 9News’ recent expose’.
Xcel: Lower the heat by 1 degree to save
Fed up Xcel Energy customers demand answers from state regulators
Xcel reports $1.7B in income, customers’ bills don’t benefit
Why is Xcel advertising to a captive audience?
This is how Xcel makes a profit
Governor speaks on Xcel Energy bill outrage
Why Xcel’s half million dollar donation doesn’t add up
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Xcel to Charge Customers for $2 Billion Dollar Power Pathway
In addition to other recent price hikes, Xcel will be passing along the $2 billion (“at least”) cost to build up to 650 miles of power lines to serve wind and solar facilities in rural areas.
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"Wind Companies Think We Are Easy Targets"
Landowners who embraced wind turbines on their property are now getting the runaround from the wind companies - income is not being adjusted, repairs are not being done, the question of decommissioning is up in the air. Meanwhile, opposition to the wind farms continues to increase as residents fight, noise, blinking lights, and destruction of the beauty of the plains, and they are pushing for stronger regulations.
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Xcel to Hike Prices
Xcel will be increasing natural gas costs to its consumers by 54%. This is in addition to the 11% increase to cover costs incurred during last winter. They are also seeking an $188 million increase, which will be passed along to consumers.
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Solar Panels Lose Efficiency as Temperatures Rise
The impact is not minimal. High temperatures can decrease the efficiency of solar panels by 10 to 25 per cent, according to data shared by CED Greentech. For every degree Celsius more reported by a solar panel, its efficiency drops by 0.5 percentage points, according to Solar.com.
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Xcel Making Money Off of Private Solar Owners
Xcel pays Colorado solar homeowners 8 cents for their extra electricity. Then charges neighbors 17 cents to use it. Home solar producers won’t benefit from the utility’s new time-of-use rates until late next year at the earliest, missing two summers of generation
“No one’s holding them accountable,” COSSA president Mike Kruger said. “There’s no feet to the fire, and they’re gonna rip off solar customers for two summers.”
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Rush to "Green Energy" Leaves US Vulnerable
Rush toward green energy has left US 'incredibly' vulnerable to summer blackouts, expert warns
Expert says renewable energy doesn't work and could lead to more blackouts.
“If you look at any country worldwide, or any state in America, that has pushed green energy mandates by government action, not one of them has been successful. And you can measure that on multiple levels of success, in terms of what they’ve actually purported to or claim they would produce in terms of electricity, reliability, cost. In terms of actual construction or cost to the consumers.”
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A Rush for Renewable Energy Tax Incentives is Transforming the Eastern Plains
An in depth article which describes national and state climate goals, the incentives that are being offered, the creation of the Xcel’s Power Pathway, and how these plans will completely transform Colorado’s Eastern Plains.
“We are going to be slathering the Eastern Plains with wind and solar” - PUC Commissioner John Gavin.
“The Pathway Project through the Eastern Plains is the ‘Field of Dreams’ “ - Alice Jackson, former CEO of Xcel Colorado.
Colorado Sun Article - June 19, 2022
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Eminent Domain Issue Goes to Supreme Court
Xcel Energy has been granted the power of eminent domain for its Power Pathway. In Ohio, residents have opposed a similar ruling which gave the Ohio Power Company eminent domain - allowing them to take property for their power lines. This case has now gone to the Ohio Supreme Court.
Energy Central Article - June 29, 2022
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Big Renewables Resort to "Nefarious" Tactics
“…the pursuit of wind and solar across rural America is not about climate change. Instead, it’s about money and the no-holds-barred pursuit of tax credits. Indeed, the push for renewables across the country has become… an attack on rural America. And that attack is being fueled by dumb incentives.”
Forbes Article - June 17, 2022
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PUC Approves Xcel Power Pathway
The Colorado Public Utilities Commission has granted written approval for Xcel’s $1.7 BILLION, 560 mile Power Pathway project. Yet many rural residents oppose it.
CPR News Article - June 9, 2022
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Nationwide Opposition
Rural residents across the United States are engaged in battles against powerlines that are being constructed to bring “unlock wind and solar” projects.
CNBC Article - June 26, 2022
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Wind Projects Rejected
Wind projects have been rejected 328 times in the US since 2015. Moratoriums are becoming more common and the wind industry is in the middle of an affordability crisis. “Those 328 rejections contradict the never-ending claims that solar and wind projects are “green” and that rural communities are welcoming them.”
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Using Highway Rights of Way for Transmission Lines
A study released 4/12/22 cites the benefits of burying high voltage transmission lines along highways and interstates.
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Newsweek - 4/12/22
We are Massacring Birds to Slow Climate Change. It’s Got to Stop.
NextEra Energy was convicted of slaughtering at least 150 eagles at its wind projects. “American taxpayers should not be subsidizing an industry that has shown what the DOJ calls "blatant disregard" for federal wildlife laws.”
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ABC News
Wind energy company kills 150 eagles in US, pleads guilty. A subsidiary of one of the largest U.S. wind energy companies has been sentenced to probation and ordered to pay over $8 million in fines and restitution after at least 150 eagles were killed at its wind farms in eight states - including Colorado!
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630 KHOW Podcasts
On April 1st, Michael Brown spoke about the Xcel Power Pathway and how “rural Colorado is getting screwed for the benefit of those who live on the Front Range”
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Lawsuit Filed Against Xcel for Marshall Fire
A class action lawsuit has been filed against Xcel Energy, claiming that the devastating Marshall Fire was caused by Xcel’s powerlines and equipment.
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NBC News-Solar Panels Face Pushback
Solar advocates are squaring off against conservationists. On one side, fans of solar energy are pushing a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, with massive solar projects popping up across the United States. On the other, conservationists and people who live near the solar projects are watching in horror as green fields are filled with rows of silicon solar panels, damaging ecologically sensitive areas.
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Delta County BOCC Blocks Solar Farm
The two commissioners, citing concerns over the potential loss of agricultural land, blocked a proposed solar plant. The solar “farm” would have covered 472 acres.