In Colorado Politics, Xcel Energy got an earful at a hearing convened by Colorado’s utility regulators after public safety power shutoffs left big chunks of the Front Range sitting in the dark for days. Residents, business owners, and local officials from places like Boulder and Jefferson County laid out what happens when the lights go out and the backup plan is basically thoughts and prayers.
And yes, wildfire risk is real. But so are frozen pipes, down cell towers, and a county jail that still has to function when the power company hits the off switch.
The Bullet Point Brief
- Colorado utility regulators held a hearing where residents, businesses, and local officials criticized Xcel’s use of Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS).
- Speakers argued the shutoffs shift risk and cost onto communities, with reports of major business losses and disrupted public services.
- Multiple officials said communications failed during outages, including cell towers, internet, landlines, and even 911 access in some areas.
- First responders raised concerns about fires sparked by re-energized downed lines and about restoration timelines that stretched for days.
- Xcel said shutoffs are used to reduce wildfire risk and that crews must physically inspect lines before restoring power; regulators are considering new PSPS rules.
My Bottom Line
Xcel should get an earful, but so should Governor Polis and the Democrat-controlled state legislature. They are the ones placing virtue above physics and market reality while they chase an all-electric future and then act shocked when the system buckles at the exact moment it gets windy.
Here’s the part they skip: the grid is strained beyond capacity, and investments need to be made. But instead of a hard-nosed focus on reliability and hardening infrastructure, we get policy that forces spending into politically approved energy checkboxes. Rules for thee, exemptions for reality, classic.
Look, I don’t fully blame Xcel. They are a publicly traded company that is doing what companies do: mitigating risk. Translated: when the incentives say cover your liability first, do not be surprised when communities eat the fallout.
You can’t run a modern state on virtue signals and extension cords.
So here’s the fix, and it’s not complicated. Put reliability first, demand clear communication that still works when power is out, and require real hardening investments that reduce both wildfire risk and outage misery. If the state is going to mandate the future, it damn well better make sure the future actually turns on.
Source: Colorado Politics
