Astalemate-breaking franchise proposal to end the 10-year, $27.6 million legal and regulatory fight by Boulder, Colorado, to replace Xcel Energy with a municipal electric utility goes to voters next month, one of more than 100 statewide ballot measures being put before voters across the country this election.
Municipalization advocates remain determinedly opposed to the investor-owned utility.
“Xcel is protecting its investments in fossil fuels and slow walking the transition to renewable generation,” said Leslie Glustrom, spokesperson for local power advocacy group Empower Our Future. “There are no facts about the future, but there is good reason to believe Xcel doesn’t intend to honor the proposed opt-outs and will continue blocking more competitive options,” she said of agreement provisions allowing Boulder to renew its municipalization effort if the utiity fails to honor its commitments.
