100 Elected Leaders ask Colorado PUC to protect customers, communities and Colorado's climate goals from the impacts of data centers
Letter urges PUC to adopt a strong Large Load Tariff and Clean Transition Tariff for Xcel Energy
Statewide, CO – Today, 100 elected leaders sent a letter to Colorado’s Public Utilities Commission (PUC) asking regulators to ensure that large customers like data centers pay for the full cost of new and existing infrastructure used to serve them, make the Clean Transition Tariff the simplest and fastest option to receive electric service and require transparency and reject Xcel's proposal to allow for secret contracts. Mayor Claire Carmelia of Westminster, CO read the letter to the PUC at today’s public comment hearing.
“Tech companies are eyeing Colorado communities to build new, power-hungry, large-scale data centers. Xcel Energy estimates that new data centers could lead to more than a 40% increase in the utility’s peak power demand by 2035,” said Senator Mike Weissman. “We need the PUC to put in place enforceable regulations to ensure that Xcel is not passing any of the costs and risks of data center development onto other Colorado customers.”
The Colorado PUC’s mission is to serve “the public interest by effectively regulating utilities and facilities so that the people of Colorado receive safe, reliable, and reasonably-priced services consistent with the economic, environmental and social values of our state.” The letter highlights that the Colorado PUC should use its authority to protect customers and prevent cost shifting from data center projects to other Xcel customers and minimize stranded asset risk associated with investments in data center projects.
The letter also highlights the need for transparency and requests the Colorado PUC reject Xcel’s “Speed to Market pathway” to fast-track projects for some data center customers. This proposal would allow developers to sign “special contracts” with Xcel that keep details that otherwise could be scrutinized secret from most intervenors at the Commission.
“Why Xcel thinks it will get away with a proposal to fast track secret deals for data centers is beyond me,” said Katherine Goff, City of Northglenn Council Member. “Coloradans want corporate accountability and they deserve transparency.”
Xcel Energy submitted its proposed “large load tariff” in response to the Colorado PUC requiring them to develop a process aimed at preventing data centers from shifting the cost for building new generation and transmission to power energy-hungry data centers to everyday Coloradans, while building out new clean energy. The PUC hosted one public comment hearing today and a second one will be in October.
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This is a community press release we came across and thought deserved more attention.
