Posted on 07/12/2023 5:44:12 AM PDT by george76
DENVER — Xcel Energy customers are sweating the possibility of another rate hike. They're making their opposition known to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) as the agency considers a $45 million electric rate increase.
“They make more than enough money. They don’t need to gouge their customers any further,” said Loren Meaux, an Xcel customer, in a public comment hearing Tuesday.
Xcel originally filed for a $312 million increase to pay for investments in transmission projects and its commitment to meet Colorado greenhouse gas emissions goals. After negotiations with state regulators and consumer advocates, the company dropped the increase to $45 million.
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While Coloradans see energy bills rise, Xcel Energy top executives take home millions in bonuses each year The utility company boasted of record profits at a recent shareholder meeting
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Customers say an increase after Xcel Energy reported $1.74 billion in profits last year doesn’t add up.
“I am a homeowner, I own a 1950ish house. We have made many improvements to try and increase efficiency,” Xcel customer John Spencer said. “As a family with two white collar professionals working well-paying jobs, these rates exceed raises that we get year over year.”
If approved, the $45 million increase would mean about $1.54 more per month on average for households.
“When you add up the rate increase year over year, the impact is significant,” Sara Schueneman with AARP said.
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Xcel Energy, utility leaders face Colorado lawmakers' questions on rising rates For months, energy customers have been sharing stories with Denver7 about sharp increases in their monthly utility bills.
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Negotiations around the current proposal began last year before Xcel’s natural gas rates nearly doubled.
The increase hit in the middle of winter and impacted those trying to heat their homes. The PUC reported that a typical Xcel customer saw a 25% increase in their electric bill and a 75% increase in their gas bill in 2022 compared to the prior year.
Policy advisers are sounding the alarm that Xcel is only raising rates to guarantee investors a return.
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State regulators get 'unprecedented' complaints about Xcel's proposed rate hike Commissioners promise to 'scrutinize this to a degree we've never done before'
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The PUC will have more hearings next week before deciding on the rate hike. You can submit your comments to the PUC.
I’m sure the natural gas rates hurt more. I’m naturally resistant to people who complain about electric rates. We’ve had a neighborhood in town with ancient underground electrical cables, that were rotting and needing to be repaired constantly, and every time TEP tried to put in above ground replacements they complain and block them. While of course complaining constantly about their reliability problems. After years of listening to them (they finally got their above ground wires) I just naturally assume anybody complaining about the electric company is complaining both sides.
The PUC will do anything XCEL wants.
Parts of Colorado purchase electricity from California, even when California is having brownouts and blackouts.
To replace a 100MW coal plant with a Solar Plant that only outputs at 100MW from 10am to 4pm you need:
4 100MW Solar Plants
1800MW of electrical battery storage.
And, then hope it doesn’t rain and pray it doesn’t hail.
For homeowner with solar- pray never need to replace the roof either
It may be time to start looking for another country to call home. :(
During the 2017 legislative session, Xcel.. failed in the Colorado state Senate.. because it made zero economic sense to force Coloradans to pay to shut down our most affordable and dependable - paid for - power plants that run 24/7, in favor of unreliable wind turbines and solar panels that increase electricity costs while decreasing dependability.
After the session, Xcel changed its tune.. by going to then governor Hickenlooper and the Public Utilities Commission for something it could not get passed through the Legislature... as its Minnesota executives and Wall Street shareholders laugh their way to the bank. Kickbacks to .. ?.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3689070/posts
Peak residential electricity rate is already 0.27 / kwhr due to time of day pricing. That is the summer afternoon rate. You know, when it is hot and people need to run their air conditioning.
It used to be one of the lowest in the US.
“When China finally falls I am sure it will have done the same.”
When China falls their most immediate problem will be cannibalism. If the food doesn’t get to the cities it’ll make the siege of Leningrad look like a four-star restaurant dinner.
At least he will have saved the world for the obscenely wealthy and politically connected.
And, then hope it doesn’t rain and pray it doesn’t hail.
And to double the trouble those same conditions shutdown a wind turbine.
Wind generally rises and falls with the sun.
Also, if wind speed rises above 55 mph wind turbines shutdown for self protection. If they don’t they will overspeed and fly apart.
So, both wind and solar are useless in bad weather or after sun set.
I despise these dumbass city sheltered goons. They know nothing. _______ BUT am very green here as far as planting 17- ten-year-old fruit trees. Buyers love the fruits_____________________ So my trees (credit goes to God-Hashem) are absorbing CO2 and putting out o2
Force everybody to buy electric cars and trucks. Electric rates will go down as demand increases. /s
An if CO2 levels were higher your trees would grow faster and produce more fruit.
I don’t hate solar or wind power. I just don’t like the government interfering in the private sector. I certainly do not want to be taxed more or others to be taxed less so that they can make improvements to their property.
I don’t wannt the government deciding winners and losers in the market.
That is corruption.
I don’t want the government creating entire new industries like carbon sequestration that will provide an entirely useless service.
Global Warming is the largest scam ever pulled on the people of the world.
It is a huge con-job to transfer wealth from the middle class to the rich and politically connected.
CO2 means more tree and vegetable growth. Which means more food for all. Not that the stupid brainwashed libs care.
I'll use the solar tax credit as an example, which you'd think I'd be for since I'm receiving it. All it did was artificially inflate the prices I paid for my solar equipment and installation, very much like tax credits/subsidies do in other industries (i.e. college tuition and books costs artificially inflated from all the government money to "help" students). So the solar tax credit hurt me up front, only to "help" me when I get a larger tax refund. And even then I have to wait years to get that money back. (The solar tax credit is non-refundable, but can carry forward to future tax years if your tax liability is less than the tax credit. So when I get my tax refund in early 2025 I'll finally get back in total tax credits the extra I paid up front in 2022.) That's one of many examples of how even solar and an EV would be better in the free market than with government "help".
Or take energy. Imagine if the government got out of the way of drilling for oil and natural gas and mining for coal. And if they also got out of the way of drilling for cobalt, nickel, and copper in Minnesota (elements necessary for EV batteries and solar batteries). Then everybody, EV owners and ICE owners, could buy cheaper cars and drive them cheaper. Everybody would be better off.
Or take charging the EV on a road trip. There are a lot of entrepreneurs who are interested in investing in a charging station to make a little extra money at their restaurant or store (shop while you wait 15 minutes for a charge). But they're afraid to to invest in a charger because they're afraid of a future Volkswagen emissions settlement (remember dieselgate?) causing a new charger array owned by Electrify America (which is owned by Volkswagen) being set up a few blocks away that's free charging for the first year or two of owning an EV. Basically, government "help" with chargers is limiting the # of chargers EV owners can choose from.
I love coal and coal generated electricity. Just install proper German model scrubbers.... My mother came from coal country in PA so I am prejudiced for coal/ American born oil and natural gas too.
Coal, natural gas, and oil are vastly superior to solar. Except for the one fact that I can't produce them on my own. I don't like mine and my wife's lifestyles and finances being dictated by the over-regulating political class and their stupid energy policies getting in between us and our energy.
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