UPDATE: The Boulder City Council has just announced a powerful response to Xcel Energy, demanding compensation for customers affected by recent power shutoffs. A draft letter, dated January 13, criticizes Xcel for failing to communicate effectively during December’s public safety power shutoffs, which left many residents in the dark right before Christmas.
This urgent development is set to be voted on during a special council meeting today at 6 p.m. at the Penfield Tate II Municipal Building, located at 1777 Broadway. The council accuses Xcel of “eroding the trust” of Boulder customers and lists specific demands, including compensation for those who suffered financial losses during the outages.
According to a survey by the Boulder Chamber, 256 businesses reported losing an average of over $25,000 due to these shutoffs. Notably, some businesses faced losses exceeding $100,000, critically impacting their revenue during the holiday season.
The council’s letter outlines three major requests: a comprehensive plan to minimize public safety power shutoff events, substantial improvements to Boulder’s energy infrastructure, and compensation for both residential and commercial customers affected by power disruptions. “At a minimum,” stated Carolyn Elam, Boulder’s sustainability senior manager, “the city believes a fund should be set up by Xcel to mitigate financial harm to low-income households and small businesses.”
Boulder residents expressed outrage over what they describe as inconsistent communication from Xcel during the outages, which spanned several days. The letter further emphasizes ongoing concerns regarding Xcel’s failure to meet its 2022 and 2024 emissions goals, which are critical to the city’s energy partnership with the utility.
In a statement, Xcel acknowledged the impacts of its wildfire mitigation protocols, including public safety power shutoffs, asserting that they are implemented to protect public safety. “We appreciate the city’s feedback and remain focused on advancing shared priorities,” Xcel commented.
The letter also highlights the city’s intent to remain with Xcel for now, but warns that Boulder can exit the franchise agreement this year if its demands are not met. Boulder emphasized that while it recognizes some successes in their partnership, the results have not matched the scale of the problems at hand.
As the council prepares to vote, the urgency of the situation continues to grow. Residents and businesses alike are watching closely as Boulder asserts its expectations for Xcel to deliver immediate changes to prevent future outages and improve service reliability.
With the meeting just hours away, all eyes will be on Boulder City Council as they take a stand for their community’s safety and financial well-being. This situation is developing rapidly, and further updates are expected to follow.
