Cannabis plants grow inside a cultivation facility near Lafayette on Dec. 13, 2018. The greenhouse used automated fans and lights to maintain efficient growing cycles while also reducing energy-consumption costs. (Andy Colwell, Special to The Colorado Sun)
After shooting through most of its energy efficiency budget for this year, Xcel Energy has suspended all its programs for businesses and asked state regulators for an additional $34 million above the $93.6 million already agreed on.
In a filing to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, Xcel Energy’s Colorado subsidiary — Public Service Company of Colorado — said that there was “unexpectedly high customer interest and participation in the company’s electric energy efficiency offerings this year.”
The request has drawn pushback by consumer and business advocates and the staff of the PUC, as well as support from Denver and environmental groups, who fear long-term damage if the programs are shut down.
It has left the utility commission facing “the tension” of balancing cost-effective programs that support vendors and their employees and the need for cost containment and compliance with budget caps, PUC Chairman Eric Blank said at Sept. 4 commission meeting.
The commission, however, has not yet issued a decision. “Nothing has been resolved,” said Justin Brant, utility program director for the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project or SWEEP, which supports adding the $34 million
“This could have a long-term chilling effect on an industry we have work hard to build,” Brant said
The groups and agencies representing customers, who would pick up the tab, see Xcel Energy’s request differently.
“This problem was caused solely by PSCo due to the company’s mismanagement of these programs,” the Colorado Office of Utility Consumer Advocate, which represents residential and small commercial customers, said in a PUC filing.
“UCA’s constituency has done nothing to cause this mismanagement problem and must not be held responsible for recovery of costs that exceed the commission-approved goals and the associated budget cap,” the agency said.
H/T: coloradosun.com
