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Tag: Public Safety Power Shutoffs

High Winds Trigger Powerline Safety Measures in Boulder County
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DENVER7, Approved, Local

High Winds Trigger Powerline Safety Measures in Boulder County

By: Tyler Melito | Denver7 Several projects in Boulder are underway to move power lines underground — a move residents Denver7 spoke with say they welcome. BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — High winds predicted for Thursday are prompting proactive measures by energy providers like Xcel. The company plans to implement an enhanced powerline safety setting — making lines more sensitive and automatically shut off power if something hits the line — on Thursday in several counties to allow power to remain in service with additional sensitivity protections in place. But Xcel and the City of Boulder are working on a long-term solution amid community pushback on public safety power shutoffs. Part of that includes continuing to bury power lines; 60% of the city's power lines...
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How PSPS coverage steers public blame
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Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

How PSPS coverage steers public blame

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project How the media will drive coverage of PSPS I wrote a bit back about how the media polarize coverage of ICE and efforts to enforce immigration law. As part of that I pointed to being aware of media narratives, of the paradigms they have which guide their coverage and, in a feedback loop, how their readers see their reality. That newsletter is linked first below if you're wanting the context.I thought of that dynamic when I read a recent CPR article on businesses impacted by Xcel's Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS). That article is second below, but the pertinent bit for me is the following quote (copied here with links intact):"Xcel’s “Public Safety Power Shutoffs” may become more common, as Colorado co...
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Xcel Warns of Targeted Power Shutoffs as Extreme Winds Threaten Northern Colorado
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kdvr.com, Approved, Local

Xcel Warns of Targeted Power Shutoffs as Extreme Winds Threaten Northern Colorado

By Courtney Fromm | KDVR GOLDEN, Colo. (KDVR) — Wind gusts have already started to pick up across the metro, but Xcel said certain portions of the state are anticipating strong gusts, which could lead to power shutoffs. “We’ve really been monitoring it, we have really seen an uptick in the forecast for the wind in particular,” Andrew Holder with Xcel said. Map: These Colorado areas could see power outages He explained they have a team of meteorologists who work 24/7 to make sure they are ready to go in any sort of weather event. He said the past few dry months Colorado has seen are no help. “Everyone that lives here in Colorado understands how dry this is, which makes it an extreme wildfire risk environment,” Holder said. “We have the lowest snowpack...
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Colorado Law Shields Xcel From Most Legal Claims Over Power Outages
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Colorado Law Shields Xcel From Most Legal Claims Over Power Outages

By Scott Weiser | The Denver Gazette Xcel Energy customers who lost refrigerated or frozen goods during the utility’s public safety power shutoffs face steep hurdles in recovering damages through lawsuits, given the limits on liabilities approved by state regulators. Colorado law and utility rate rules issued by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, which regulates commercial energy companies, limit liability for service interruptions, even when outages result from proactive de-energization to prevent wildfires. Xcel Energy’s rate rules, issued by the PUC and largely upheld by Colorado courts, contain clauses that shield the utility from claims for power interruptions. Jack Luellen, senior counsel at Buchalter, said these rules mean the company is not liable...
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