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Hearing participants oppose Xcel's plans to build gas-fired power plants

Gargi Chakrabarty and Sonia Kaur

Published April 15, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Xcel Energy's plans to build new natural gas-fired power plants drew strong criticism at a public hearing Monday, even as the utility defended itself saying those were necessary to support wind farms.

More than 150 people packed a basement room at Xcel's building in downtown Denver for the hearing organized by the Public Utilities Commission.

Earlier Monday, the commission reported it had received 803 comments via e-mail, voice-mail and written letters from concerned individuals regarding Xcel's plans.

"Of those 803, 770 were virtually identical "blast" e-mails in support of clean-energy technology," said Doug Platt, the commission's consumer affairs supervisor.

Twenty-three were in favor of environmentally friendly policies and 10 against any hike in rates as a result of Xcel's plans.

Those plans outline how Xcel will meet the Front Range's growing demand for electricity from 2009 through 2015. The utility has proposed 800 megawatts of new wind farms, more than 200 megawatts of solar plants, and savings of 694 megawatts through energy conservation.

Critics, while praising Xcel's push to increase renewable energy, are against its decision to add natural gas-fired plants.

Xcel has proposed 800 megawatts of natural gas projects, in addition to two, 130-megawatt gas turbines in Fort St. Vrain to fill in failed private contracts.

"I don't like the plans," said Nancy LaPlaca, who stood outside the building holding a banner that read "We want solar, wind, efficiency."

"Wind is not a reliable resource," Xcel spokesman Tom Henley said. "We have to have a resource that can be accessed at a moment's notice. And that's why we are proposing 800 megawatts of natural gas to match the 800 megawatts of wind."

chakrabartyg@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2976

Long-term plans

In November, Xcel Energy said it was planning several projects in Colorado, beginning in 2009, to meet demand for electricity and to replace other sources.

1,050 megawatts from new renewable energy generation, such as wind and solar plants.

694 megawatts from energy-efficiency and conservation programs.

800 megawatts from natural gas, new natural gas plants or renewing existing private power contracts.

260 megawatts from two new natural gas turbines at Fort St. Vrain.

-233 megawatts from the closure of two coal-fired plants in Denver and Cameo.

Comments

  • April 15, 2008

    9:32 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    justright writes:

    Hey people,
    We can't have renewables without some kind of carbon plant. For at least part of the year, there will be zero output from wind. Yet for there will always a power need.

    The email blasters are only hurting themselves by being unrealistic. Or maybe the are hoping for rolling black outs!

  • April 16, 2008

    6:46 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    masondav2004 writes:

    At least until we get some kind of thermal storage or comparable technology going on a large scale. After that (which isn't that far off), there will truly be little or no need for the massive capital investments Xcel proposes...

    It's a sticky wicket, for sure, but not as simple as your comments suggests, justright.

  • April 18, 2008

    12:06 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    justright writes:

    Yea your right, I will just run down to home depot and grab me a $200,000.00 thermal storage unit of molten salt and all will be great.

    Of course I can afford it, but I am not sure my 2 million neighbors can.