The CEA Blog
What We Are Watching: Atmospheric Trust Doctrine in the 9th Circuit
It all begins with an idea.
Reflecting on Sierra Club's 'Building a Carbon Free Grid' Conference
It all begins with an idea.
In Xcel’s Hometown, Energy Independence Expert John Farrell Says Vote Yes on 2l
Boulder, we have a friend in Xcel’s hometown of Minneapolis, MN. John Farrell of the Institute of Local Self Reliance has been educating communities for years on the economic benefits of self governance for essentials like energy, banking and waste management.
CEA Always Supported MUNI ~ We Still Do
Clean Energy Action’s research has been near the heart of the City of Boulder’s understanding of why working with a coal-based investor-owned utility (IOU) can be so difficult for cities that are serious about clean energy and shutting down fossil-powered generation. We have been early but quiet supporters of local power – a municipal utility created for clean energy generation plus local innovation, more reliability and possibly lower rates.
CEA and CCLC Weigh In: the U.S. Climate Alliance & New Executive Order
Morrison, CO – Last week, Governor Hickenlooper announced that Colorado will join the U.S. Climate Alliance. He also released an Executive Order titled “Supporting Colorado’s Clean Energy Transition,” in which he set forth new climate goals for our State.
Urgent: Save Boulder’s Bid for a Municipal Utility
Xcel Energy has launched a bid to stop Boulder’s 7-year effort toward municipalization in its tracks. One April 17th, the Boulder City Council considers two proposals from Xcel designed to dissuade us from our quest to control our own energy destiny.
Xcel Announces Expedited Retirement of All Coal Facilities and Rapid Draw-down of Fracking Operations – Happy April Fools’ Day From Clean Energy Action
In a dramatic reversal, Xcel announced today that it plans to phase out all of its coal generation as quickly as possible. This will involve the retirement of billions of dollars’ worth of coal plants, but Xcel has offered to pay these costs, recognizing that it made some bad investments and it’s their duty to make it right.
Selling the Taxpayers’ Coal
The United States government owns 700 million acres of mineral estates, 570 million acres of which is open for coal development. The Mineral Leasing Acts of 1920 and 1947 gave responsibility for these coal mineral estates to the Bureau of Land Management, who are in charge of leasing them to companies for mining.
New Report Finds That Only Coal Companies Have the Ability to Self-Bond, Which Harms Mining Communities and Taxpayers Nationwide
Federal law requires that companies reclaim any land that they disturb through development. This law affects all energy and natural resource sectors, including coal mining, oil and gas mining on federal lands, and wind and solar development on federal lands.
Blocking the Sun
The solar industry is growing rapidly in the U.S. and becoming increasingly popular among U.S. citizens as an obvious solution for clean, affordable power.
February 2021 PUC Update
Clean Energy Action’s Colorado Public Utility Commission updates are provided courtesy of E9 Insight. Please contact hello@e9insight.com with any additional questions.
Rate Cases: Impacts to Your Bill
20M-0251E Investigation of Electric Utility Retail Rates
On January 27, the Colorado PUC voted to send the Utility Retail Rate Report to the General Assembly, as was required by Senate Bill 19-236. The report was sent on February 1, containing a statewide electric retail rate survey; an average electric rate calculation; recommendations for rate relief; and a general description of ratemaking and utilities in Colorado. The report found that investor-owned utilities are responsible or 56% of retail electricity sold in Colorado (Xcel accounting for 53%). Average residential rates were determined to be 12.18 cents/kWh (for reference, the average EIA price in 2020 was 13.01 cents/kWh); when combined with the commercial and industrial rates, the overall statewide average was 9.95 center/kWh. Staff determined that rates more than 25% of this average should be considered “materially greater” than average, and found that Black Hills Energy has rates that are 34% above the statewide average. The PSC recommended that Black Hills open a new rate case, increase funding for its Energy Assistance Program, investigate time-of-use rates, reduce cost of debt, and/or to develop a special contract or economic development rate. In the longer term, the PUC recommended exploration of community choice energy (with appropriate guidance from the legislature), increased use of renewable resources, and taking local economies into consideration.”
Resource Planning: Your Power, Your Community
21M-0061E Clean Energy Plans
In accordance with the 2019 SB 19-236, Public Service Company of Colorado must file a Clean Energy Plan as its next Electric Resource Plan by the end of March 2021. In early February, the Colorado PUC opened a new proceeding outlining the legislative history and requirements of the Clean Energy Plan (CEP). The opening notice emphasized that the Air Quality Control Commission cannot mandate GHG emission reduction targets by 2030 more than what is required from the commission-approved CEP. Additionally, in January 2021, the state released Colorado's Greenhouse Gas Pollution Reduction Roadmap. The PUC therefore established this proceeding to enable further consultation with Colorado state agencies to engage in at least one workshop discussion regarding statutory obligations.
Business Models: Moneymaking, Programs, and Regional Impacts
19M-0495E Energy Market Analysis - Colorado Transmission Act
On January 28, the CO PUC held an informational meeting regarding western regional markets and potential benefits/costs to Colorado joining an energy imbalance market (EIM). The session reviewed three recent market studies which compared CAISO's WEIM, SPP's WEIS, business as usual, or Colorado's formation of a statewide joint dispatch agreement. Generally, the studies affirmed that the most benefits will be achieved if Colorado utilities make a singular choice, likely to join CAISO's WEIM due to the renewable energy penetration in this region.
Presentations from the conference included an Xcel powerpoint which confirmed that the utility will enter the WEIM in April 2022. According to their analysis, by 2022 the WEIM will include approximately 80% of load in the Western Interconnection, and WEIM parties are also exploring an additional day-ahead market. The presentation highlighted the benefits of RTO participation, and noted that "PSCo is interested in establishing [transmission] seams coordination agreements with SPP and the WEIS participants to ensure the efficient use of the facilities in Colorado."
20M-0267EG Implementation of SB 20-030 (Consumer Protections)
On January 28, the Colorado PUC directed Black Hills Energy to file additional information about their COVID-19-related disconnections. Black Hills reported a total oy 1,861 residential disconnections in the latter part of 2020, and the PUC stated, "We are concerned that this level of disconnections is approaching the level of disconnections BHCE undertakes in years when COVID-19 is not a factor; that it may represent a disproportionate percent of BHCE’s residential customers as compared to other utilities; and that it is unclear how long customers are disconnected before they are reconnected."
Plus, a notable news release…
On January 4 2021, Xcel Energy-Colorado and partners PacifiCorp and the Salt River Project announced plans to close the Hayden Generating Station by 2028, over eight years earlier than initially planned. The first unit will be retired by 2027, and the closure is cited as part of Xcel Energy’s plan to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2030.