Breaking news: carbon tax repeal passes Colorado state house
Good news for Xcel Energy ratepayers. HB 1172 “no imputed carbon tax”, Representative Spencer Swalm’s second attempt to repeal Colorado’s carbon tax, passed the state House on third reading this morning. It is now headed to the Colorado Senate with Senator Ted Harvey as the sponsor. Details of the recorded vote to follow when available.
How much of your energy bill pays for Xcel's marketing?
There’s a good question to which ratepayers will never get an answer because Xcel Energy is an investor owned utility (IOU) that enjoys a government-sanctioned monopoly on providing electric service to roughly 1.4 million Colorado ratepayers. Because it is not a state agency, Colorado’s largest electricity provider is not subject to the state’s open record law. […]
How much of your energy bill pays for Xcel’s marketing?
There’s a good question to which ratepayers will never get an answer because Xcel Energy is an investor owned utility (IOU) that enjoys a government-sanctioned monopoly on providing electric service to roughly 1.4 million Colorado ratepayers. Because it is not a state agency, Colorado’s largest electricity provider is not subject to the state’s open record law. […]
Quote of the day
During the discussion phase of HB 1172, Representative Spencer Swalm’s bill to repeal Colorado’s “phantom carbon tax,” Representative Marsha Looper (R-Calhan) stated: Whenever we have an opportunity to repeal a tax, especially a phantom tax…it behooves me to do so. I will be supporting it [HB 1172]. As posted earlier, HB 1172 moved out of […]
Which Republican will crater for carbon tax?
A bill to repeal Colorado’s “phantom carbon tax” was heard today in the Republican-controlled House Agriculture, Livestock, and Natural Resources Committee. It’s the second time in as many years that State Representative Spencer Swalm (R-Centennial) has sponsored the pro-ratepayer legislation. Both times it was heard in the House Ag Committee. Last year, we documented how […]
Questions about Baker's ability to serve on the PUC
Conventional wisdom in energy policy circles says that Governor John Hickenlooper will re-appoint current Public Utilities Commissioner Matt Baker to another four-year term on the PUC. His State Senate confirmation will be a mere formality, but it shouldn’t be. Serious questions linger about his lack of honesty regarding energy costs and his ability to be […]
Questions about Baker’s ability to serve on the PUC
Conventional wisdom in energy policy circles says that Governor John Hickenlooper will re-appoint current Public Utilities Commissioner Matt Baker to another four-year term on the PUC. His State Senate confirmation will be a mere formality, but it shouldn’t be. Serious questions linger about his lack of honesty regarding energy costs and his ability to be […]
Energy in 2012 GA: Legislators address HB 1365, tiered rates and the PUC
Two years after the passage of the fuel-switching bill HB 1365, Governor Bill Ritter’s “crown jewel” of the new energy economy, supporters would like the debate to go away. But like a nagging cough, it just won’t. Several bills in the 2012 legislative session address issues raised surrounding the collusion to draft HB 1365, the […]
Rate increase request exposes hypocrisy of tiered rates
Xcel Energy’s recently denied $142 million interim rate increase request exposes the hypocrisy of tiered rates, which were implemented out of fear that high demand would require the building of additional power plants. Yet, more than 37 percent or $52.6 million of Xcel’s request was to cover the cost of excess capacity. In other words, […]
Cozy relationship between Xcel and PUC?
In a surprising move to anyone who has watched the cozy relationship develop between Xcel Energy and the Public Utilities Commission, yesterday the PUC denied Xcel’s $142 million interim rate request. Colorado News Agency columnist Peter Blake (then with Face the State) initially exposed how the PUC, Xcel, and Governor Ritter’s administration colluded on the […]
Finally some outrage over the New Energy Economy
I may have underestimated the outrage over two recent Xcel Energy rate increase requests. The first, an attempt to recover the final $16.5 million in cost for Boulder’s Smart Grid City program. Ratepayers are not thrilled about paying for a Boulder project with massive cost overruns. Check out these comments: From Phil Carson, editor of […]
An 89.5 percent increase since 2004
Ho hum, Xcel Energy wants another $142 million rate increase, and it wants to recover another $16.5 million for its Boulder smart grid project. And in other news, dog bites man. If the Public Utilities Commission denied the rate increases, that would be a news story. This is all part of Colorado’s New Energy Economy. […]
