Read Chris Hoffman’s Daily Camera Opinion Piece.
| Power Supply Source | 1-Year Average Energy Capacity Cost ($/MWh) |
Percent renewables | Average Annual Cost for Power Supply |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xcel Energy | $68.28 | 53% | $123.6M |
| Boulder Local Power Contracts | $45.54 | 89% | $83.9M |
Cost structures may vary, but in general the cost of power is at least 50% of the rate you pay.
Responding to Boulder’s 2018 Request For Indicative Pricing (RFIP), major energy suppliers have offered proposals that could supply Boulder with 89% renewable electricity in the year 2024 at a cost $40 million lower than Xcel. By comparison, Xcel is predicted to be delivering 53% renewable electricity by that year.
Boulder voters approved a small tax increase that will finance continued work on a municipal electric utility and determine the cost. In a process that should take two to three years, legal and engineering details are taking shape. Empower Our Future and New Era Colorado worked hard to educate voters about what community-owned power could mean for Boulder.
An editorial by Joel Dyer, Boulder Weekly, October 12, 2017
Boulder’s efforts to create a municipal utility is a complex process both legally and technically. Unfortunately that has given rise to a lot of myths, inaccuracies, and distortions.
Get the Truth!
Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) approved a partial list of Xcel assets that Boulder could use in a future condemnation proceeding. Ordering Xcel Energy to work “in good faith” with the city, the PUC gave the parties 90 days to produce agreements.
Learn MoreWith a publicly owned electric utility, we can choose to invest to reduce CO2 pollution much faster than Xcel, which needs to reward its shareholders with profits. Public power will enable local decision making. We’ll have the flexibility to pursue clean energy innovation and entrepreneurship, and reap new benefits for the Boulder business community.
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While Xcel’s rates continue to go up, the costs for wind and solar are dropping faster than our most optimistic expectations. Therefore, though final numbers can't be determined until after Boulder knows the separation costs, the financial benefits will very likely be much greater than shown in the original analysis.
Learn MoreVery simple. Xcel will lose $30 million per year in Boulder profits if we leave. We would also be setting a scary example for utilities all over the country that are facing customer anger over their failure to use more renewables.
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A new world energy economy is emerging. Spurred on by the stick of climate change and the carrot of saving money, countries, states, cities, and companies around the world are moving toward renewable energy.
Learn MoreEmpower our Future is a coalition of organizations and individuals in support of clean energy for Boulder. The residents of Boulder have voted 4 times to move forward toward municipalization. Let’s not let the nay-sayers block our efforts to switch to renewables and control our electricity.