Boulder city leaders will seek much more control in running the city’s power grid if they enter into another agreement with Xcel Energy, including mandatory carbon reduction, a hand in project planning, modernizing the grid and five-year contract opt-outs.
City Council members heard an update on the negotiations from City Attorney Tom Carr at a regular business meeting Tuesday.
City staff are meeting two or three times a week with Xcel representatives to work on coming to an agreement, Carr said.
Negotiations between Xcel and the city resumed in April, Carr said, and there have been 15 meetings since then. Boulder city officials have long looked at how to form a municipal electric service and cut ties with Xcel in order to pursue more sustainable energy, though that effort may come to a halt if the city and Xcel can reach an agreement.
City staff members are seeking six key points in the negotiations, Carr said, and are listening to community input as the talks progress.
No agreement has been reached between the city and Xcel, Carr said.
The city’s “key elements” in any agreement are that Xcel meet state-mandated carbon reduction goals by 2030, that the city have input into distribution planning, that Xcel resume undergrounding power lines and catch up on the undergrounding work that hasn’t taken place since 2010, that there be greater information sharing, that Boulder can opt out of the contract every five years by citizen or City Council vote and that the city’s “legal and engineering” municipalization work so far be preserved.
Under a nondisclosure agreement, Xcel has shared with city staff how the company plans to achieve an 80% carbon reduction from 2005 emission levels by 2030, Carr said.
Xcel spokesperson Michelle Aguayo said the company is optimistic it can help Boulder achieve its unique energy goals.
“Our conversations with the city, and the public engagement town halls that have been held so far, give us perspective on how best to focus on the future,” Aguayo said in an email. “We’ve always been open to negotiations, believing there is a better path to help Boulder achieve its energy goals.”
"control" - Google News
June 20, 2020 at 09:26AM
https://ift.tt/37JaI6F
In Xcel negotiations, city seeks more control of power grid - The Daily Camera
"control" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3bY2j0m
https://ift.tt/2KQD83I
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "In Xcel negotiations, city seeks more control of power grid - The Daily Camera"
Post a Comment