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• Natural gas leak repaired in Pueblo

  March 9, 2012 12:41 PM

  Xcel Energy crews have now repaired a natural gas line in a residential area on the north side of Pueblo. A construction crew cut a 2 inch natural gas line Friday morning at 2314 Crownridge, just north of Highway 50. The area was blocked off while the break... more »

• Xcel wants to continue home solar program

  May 13, 2011 6:11 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Officials at Colorado's largest energy provider say they're continuing a program encouraging home solar sources to help them meet the state's renewable energy mandate. The proposal is part of a plan Minneapolis-based Xcel Energy submitted to state regulators on Friday. Officials say the proposal puts them... more »

• Xcel electricity rates up 21 percent in Colorado

  February 7, 2011 8:35 AM

  DENVER (AP)-Electricity bills for Xcel Energy customers in Colorado have risen about 21 percent in six years and are expected to rise another 20 percent over the next six as the utility adds renewable energy, builds transmission lines and passes fuel costs through to consumers. The average monthly residential... more »

• Colorado asked to reconsider phasing out coal fired power plants

  January 4, 2011 7:45 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Coal interests are asking Colorado regulators to reconsider a plan for Xcel Energy to retire or replace some of its coal-fired power plants. The Public Utilities Commission last month approved a $1.4 billion plan for Xcel to close five coal-fired units in Denver and Boulder, build... more »

• No injuries reported from Xcel Energy station fire

  December 26, 2010 7:24 PM

  AURORA, Colo. (AP) - An electrical fire at an Xcel Energy relay station in Aurora is sending black smoke into the sky. No injuries were reported in the fire Sunday, and Xcel says customers shouldn't be affected because electricity is being rerouted. It's not clear what started the... more »

• Xcel explores earlier closure of coal-fired unit

  October 20, 2010 3:02 PM

  Xcel Energy is studying whether it can speed up its timetable for retiring some coal-fired power plants to help Colorado meet federal clean air standards. A new state law required the utility to file a plan to reduce emissions by the end of 2017. Xcel's preference is to... more »

• Xcel Energy plans electric, gas rate decreases

  September 16, 2010 9:16 AM

  Xcel Energy says Colorado customers will see lower electric bills starting Oct. 1 because of lower fuel costs and the end of a summertime two-tiered rate plan aimed at encouraging conservation by charging more for higher use. The utility said Wednesday that typical residential bills will drop by 12.6... more »

• Boulder's smart grid triples in cost; Pueblo to pay

  August 31, 2010 9:23 AM

  Xcel Energy's SmartGridCity is supposed to be an experiment in what a modern energy grid might look like. Since the utility announced the project in Boulder in 2008, its costs have nearly tripled from initial estimates to around $45 million. This week the Colorado Public Utilities Commission is... more »

• Hearing on Xcel energy plan

  August 30, 2010 9:39 AM

  State regulators are gathering comment on Xcel Energy's plan to use less coal to produce electricity. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission will hold a hearing on the plan Monday in Grand Junction starting at 6 p.m. Xcel has proposed spending $1.3 billion to convert coal-fired power plants to... more »

• Xcel, subcontractor, blamed for worker deaths

  August 25, 2010 3:55 PM

  Federal investigators say Xcel Energy and its contractor failed to adequately plan for hazardous work before a hydroelectric plant fire that killed five workers in Colorado. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board released its final report on the October 2007 fire on Wednesday. The work included taking flammable solvents... more »

• Feds to release report on Colorado fire that killed 5

  August 25, 2010 8:13 AM

  The U.S. Chemical Safety Board will release a 15-minute safety video and its final report of its investigation into a tunnel fire that killed five workers at a hydroelectric plant in Colorado. The independent federal agency investigates serious chemical accidents and makes safety recommendations. In a trailer for the... more »

• Xcel Energy slammed for response to Colorado deaths

  August 23, 2010 3:32 PM

  The U.S. Chemical Safety Board is criticizing Xcel Energy for its handling of the aftermath of a tunnel fire that killed five workers at a Colorado hydroelectric plant. In a letter sent Monday to Xcel CEO Richard Kelly, the board cited a list of "troubling episodes" unique to the... more »

• Report: Xcel, contractor ignored worker safety

  August 12, 2010 10:25 AM

  A draft report on a tunnel fire that killed five workers at a Colorado hydroelectric plant accuses Xcel Energy and contractor RPI Coating of ignoring worker safety. It says that a lack of planning for hazardous work and inadequate contractor selection were among problems that contributed to the accident.... more »

• Denver residents asked to conserve power

  June 25, 2010 11:49 AM

  DENVER (AP) - Xcel Energy is asking some Denver residents to conserve electricity because of a heat wave combined with damage to a substation. Xcel says temperatures are forecast in the high 90s Friday, likely resulting in electricity demand for air conditioners. The affected area is bordered by... more »

• Xcel Energy wants report on deaths kept secret

  June 24, 2010 2:51 PM

  DENVER (AP) - Xcel Energy and a contractor are trying to delay the release of a report on a tunnel fire that killed five workers nearly three years ago. Xcel, RPI Coating and two RPI executives have been charged in the deaths at Georgetown hydroelectric plant. They plan to... more »

• Xcel installing temporary Denver substation

  June 10, 2010 8:16 AM

  Xcel Energy is still asking customers in east Denver to reduce electricity use as it installs a temporary substation to replace one that blew up. Company spokesman Mark Stutz says customers have been conserving energy, avoiding the need for controlled outages. But he says Thursday could be rough because... more »

• Xcel Energy working to restore power in Denver

  June 8, 2010 8:05 AM

  Xcel Energy is trying to find the cause an explosion at a power substation in east Denver that left about 31,000 customers without electricity. At least one explosion rocked the substation at about 6:30 p.m. Monday. A fire that sent a black plume of smoke about 60 feet into the... more »

• Substation fire in Denver

  June 7, 2010 10:55 PM

  Xcel in Denver is working to restore power to thousands of people after a fire at a power substation. It happened around 6:30 p.m. near 14th and Jackson. The fire could be seen for miles around the city. Our sister station 9News says thousands of people are without... more »

• Suit filed over Branch Inn explosion

  April 21, 2010 6:23 PM

  The insurance company responsible for the Branch Inn is suing Xcel Energy and the City of Pueblo over the explosion that leveled the building in the Union Avenue Historic District. It happened the afternoon of November 13, 2008. Natural gas built up in the basement of the Branch Inn... more »

• Noisy power plant turned off

  April 6, 2010 7:42 PM

  Xcel Energy says the new unit at its coal-fired Comanche power plant in Pueblo is offline for minor repairs and won't be restarted until it is outfitted to reduce noise. Neighbors have complained of a high-pitched whine coming from the Comanche Generating Station's third unit, forcing some from their... more »

• Xcel proposes total rate hike of $52.7 million

  March 16, 2010 8:54 AM

  Denver residents could see their electricity rates increase by an average of about $5.18 a month under a proposed hike by Xcel Energy. The proposed increase announced Monday by the utility would also raise electric bills for Xcel's small-business customers by an average of about $9.21 a month. Xcel says... more »

• Public meeting to explain power plant "hum"

  February 23, 2010 5:28 PM

  Resident near the new Comanche 3 Power Plant on the southeast side of Pueblo will hear tonight about possible fixes for a humming noise that has irritated many neighbors. The meeting, at 7 p.m. at Pueblo County High School, will give Xcel officials a chance to explain their theories... more »

• Hearing planned on power plant noise

  February 18, 2010 2:18 PM

  Xcel Energy plans to hold a public meeting to discuss the odd humming noise coming from its new power plant on the southeast edge of Pueblo. The billion dollar generator is almost complete, but has been emitting a hum during testing that has bothered neighbors from time to time. ... more »

• Regulators expand oversight of smart-grid project

  February 8, 2010 11:38 AM

  State regulators are getting more involved in Xcel Energy's smart-grid project in Boulder as the utility has started charging customers statewide to cover some of the costs. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission has decided that Xcel Energy needs to seek more approval of the project, which is modernizing the electric... more »

• Colorado power plant delay may save consumers a little

  December 20, 2009 9:19 AM

  A delay in a new power plant could mean a temporary break for electricty consumers but less money for local governments. Xcel Energy says leaking pipes will keep the Comanche 3 unit in Pueblo from starting up until early next year. Xcel asked regulators to postpone part of a Jan.... more »

• Xcel abandons plans to charge ratepayers for perks

  November 24, 2009 10:31 AM

  Xcel Energy has abandoned plans to have Colorado ratepayers pay for expensive dinners and luxury hotel stays for its employees. The Minneapolis-based utility has agreed to remove $280,000 in charges meant to cover expenses and perks like Colorado Avalanche tickets. They had been included in its pending $136 million... more »