About 72,000 Xcel customers may lose power this year
By Gargi Chakrabarty, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)
Originally published 10:13 a.m., July 16, 2008
Updated 07:53 p.m., July 16, 2008
Tim Hussin © The Rocky
Cherise Smith, 27, sits on her couch in her home on Wednesday. Smith was given a notice that Xcel would shut off her power after not making payments.
Gov. Bill Ritter and lawmakers are discussing how to help the estimated 72,000 Xcel Energy customers projected to have their utilities shut off this year.
Escalating energy prices coupled with steep jumps in food prices and a record number of home foreclosures have strained pocketbooks.
For instance, as of May 4, one of every eight Xcel customers in Colorado — nearly 200,000 households — were 30 days or more behind in paying their utility bills, according to regulatory filings with the Public Utilities Commission. Xcel serves 1.6 million gas and electric customers in the state.
This year's projected shut-offs are 33 percent higher than 2007, said Xcel spokesman Tom Henley.
"Those are high numbers and are very concerning," said Ritter spokesman Evan Dreyer. "Governor Ritter and lawmakers are now starting to look at what strategies we can put in place to, first, make people aware of existing assistance programs and, second, examine whether we need to provide additional dollars to those programs.
"The answer to the second is yes, we do need to, and that's something we are looking at right now."
Former Gov. Bill Owens in December 2003 announced a $10 million relief fund to help low-income Colorado families pay their heating bills after nearly one in every five Xcel customers fell one day or more behind on their bills.
Customers who have good credit with Xcel get a reminder notice 33 days after the original due date and a disconnect notice 64 days after the missed due date. Customers with poor credit receive a disconnect notice 31 days after a missed due date.
"The Denver market last year by September set a new record for foreclosures, so some of Xcel's late payments and disconnections could be due to that," said Fred Crowley, an associate research professor at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs's College of Business and Administration.
"People can't afford not to have food and gas, but they think they can get away deferring utility bills," Crowley said. "The net effect is, a utility sells less gas and electric but still has overheads, so it raises rates for those paying bills to cover its expenses."
Crowley warned the situation could worsen this winter, given the higher price projections for natural gas used to heat homes and generate electricity in Colorado. Energy Outreach Colorado, a Denver nonprofit, estimates that for a typical Xcel customer, the combined natural gas and electric bill for the six winter months beginning Nov. 1 through April 30, 2009, will be $1,223. That is more than double the six-month average of $583 in winter 2002-2003 and nearly 23 percent higher than last winter.
Xcel's Henley said a majority of disconnected customers eventually get reconnected. Last month, 36,000 customers were disconnected but 85 percent later were reconnected. Of the reconnected customers, 80 percent paid their bills in full, he said.
"As a company, we would be negligent in our business if we were more than happy to disconnect customers rather than get them to pay bills," Henley said. "It is in our interest, our shareholders interest and our customers' interest not to disconnect."
For instance, Theresa Johnson, 51, received a phone call Monday from an Xcel representative seeking to schedule a disconnection. The Montbello resident is between jobs, having lost her position at a Subway restaurant this month, and is waiting to start a new job in the Denver Public School system in August.
"I asked the Xcel person how much my bill was, and she told me $176 and change," Johnson said. "I couldn't believe it. I work six days a week, I am not even home during day and have only one air conditioner."
Energy Outreach Colorado is now helping her.
Meanwhile, the Public Utilities Commission on Wednesday asked Xcel to provide information about shut-offs and delinquent customers in a timely manner. The utility had discontinued providing the information publicly in April 2006, after the former commissioners dropped the requirement.
"I firmly believe that it's critically important to get as much information as we possibly can on how utility customers are able to pay their bills, particularly low-income customers," said Energy Outreach executive director Skip Arnold, "and this is the kind of data needed to come up with good public policy."
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July 16, 2008
10:29 a.m.
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Cowboy63 writes:
Soon you'll pay more to light and heat your house than for the house itself!
Get used to it. It takes longer to get the permits to build a new nuclear power plant than it does to actually build the plant!
July 16, 2008
10:35 a.m.
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HolierThanThou writes:
That's like shutting off power to half a small city or two typical rural Colorado counties.
Subsistence-level living and poverty has been brought to us by those who insist that off-shoring jobs and invading other countries for oil is good for our economy. The time is coming soon to shut off THEIR power.
If you don't make over a ten million dollars a year, you're too poor to vote for a conservative. Get off your cash-strapped butt and vote for the other guy.
July 16, 2008
10:44 a.m.
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HolierThanThou writes:
Business note: nuclear power is so expensive that ordinary capitalists refuse to fund the construction of new plants. The funding for nuclear power must therefore come from the tax base.
Alternative energy such as new wind and solar power sources are outstripping new nuclear sources by many multiples world-wide. Conservation efforts continue to provide more available megawatts by reducing demand. This will drive down prices.
Hopefully, a new US government in 2009 will provide some direction to improve the speed and effectiveness of all these efforts.
Can we also hope that they will bring back decent paying jobs so that homeowners can afford to invest in energy efficiencies for their properties like heat pumps?
July 16, 2008
10:44 a.m.
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FlyfishDude52 writes:
Could this be the second coming of the dark ages?
July 16, 2008
10:47 a.m.
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HolierThanThou writes:
If you vote for conservatives and they win, expect us all to loose. And, yes, that means things are going to get much darker.
July 16, 2008
10:53 a.m.
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dcolon47 writes:
The down fall of this country is near, thanks to the tree hugging, beeetle loving do nothing egg s**king dog liberals.
July 16, 2008
10:54 a.m.
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happymike44 writes:
We are at the mercy of big oil.
They have held us hostage and now have us with our hands up.
While at the same time robbing us blind.
We need to impose a windfall tax on them in the form of a rebate. To all the consumers they have ripped off with the oil shortage myth they are feeding us.
Big oil needs to be taken over by the federal government to insure a future with electricity.
How about forcing big oil to install wind turbine generators with all that extra money.
What more can we do, but force their hand to bring i a clean renewable source of energy.
July 16, 2008
10:58 a.m.
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SockRayBlue writes:
This is kind of funny in an odd sort of way. Xcel has to run the electrical generators whether there are 1.6 million users or 1.55 million. The only money they're losing is what goes to the stockholders. The board will still get a bonus at the end of the year.
July 16, 2008
10:58 a.m.
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bjones73 writes:
People are missing the picture here.
The major reason for the increase in prices is the increased use by Xcel of NATURAL GAS.
Natural gas is soon going to be in the same position, price wise and supply wise, as gasoline.
So what does Xcel do? USE MORE NATURAL GAS!!
Their switch to "be green" at the expense of coal, the most affordable and abundant energy resource, is hitting and will continue to hit Coloradoans right in the wallet.
And please don't make the renewables arguement versus coal.
Renewables ARE NOT a baseload power resource - coal, natural gas, nuclear and geothermal are the only baseload resources available.
Renewables work best for power during peak times.
Besides, who will pay the billions of dollars needed for new renewable energy transmission infrastructure?
NOT XCEL. CONSUMERS WILL!
Rather renewables need to pair with existing coal plants (before Xcel shuts them down!) and use the existing transmission infrastructure from the coal plant.
I'm not sure anyone would agree it makes $$$ sense to build a full transmission infrastructure for energy resources that only supply power part of the time.
July 16, 2008
10:59 a.m.
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Shaggy writes:
And Obama still says no to drilling, coal, gas and Nuclear.
I know Obama has a lot of empty hot air but it won't be enough to help out the people.
July 16, 2008
11:03 a.m.
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Cowboy63 writes:
I pretty much doubt ANYTHING will change no matter who is elected.
Your best bet (and mine) is to stop depending on ANY politician to save us.
July 16, 2008
11:11 a.m.
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NeilT writes:
Right on, Cowboy!
July 16, 2008
11:19 a.m.
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Shaggy writes:
"Big oil needs to be taken over by the federal government to insure a future with electricity."
This has to win the stupidest post of the day award.
Yep lets start to socialize companies who make a reasonable profit.
Lets make Government run our lives. Better yet, lets turn America, the land of the FREE into a Comunist ran Country.
The loons preach that big Government is bad bad bad but big Government running everyones lives and being the save all is good good good.
That just fascinates the hell out of me how naive people are.
Have you taken a look at how Congress's approval ratings are lately?
9% approval rating is all...They make Bush's ratings look like he is prom King.
Having Government as a Business is the single worst thing that could happen to America..They can't run anything.
Sorry to be harsh on you but that is typical Liberal thinking.
This is the kind of thinking of maxine Waters, a very radical left Liberal.
Check this out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niJAkR...
July 16, 2008
11:22 a.m.
Suggest removal
HolierThanThou writes:
Obama is not president, yet.
The capitalists and oil companies say no to drilling and nuclear. In spite of what you've heard, the oil companies are not in any hurry to prospect for oil in high-risk environments like the ocean and ANWR. That's expensive.
Not only is drilling in ANWR expensive but the Alaskan oil pipeline is falling apart. It's now operating beyond its design life. A drunk could shoot a hole in the thing with a rifle and shut down the entire supply. Imagine that! Well, you need not imagine too hard because it's already happened.
So, you want to depend on Alaska to drop the price of oil? Very funny. One little thing goes wrong with the pipeline and your behind will be once again over the proverbial barrel and they'll be prospecting there.
The ONLY reason the oil companies make a stink about offshore drilling and ANWR is to distract you from that fact that they're robbing you blind.
Even my neighbor's liberal dog is smart enough to figure that out.
July 16, 2008
11:23 a.m.
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diablo_deal writes:
The sad part about the wind power is that when excel installs wind turbines to produce power the consumer pays 10% more for the power generated by wind turbine. Why is this? With the wind turbines they are using no resources, spending little money per consumer, but charge 10% more for the power it generates. The only overhead that excel has on wind turbines is the cost of the turbune and maintence. Excel gets all of this back within the first year and makes a profit and yey they charge 10% more. What we need in the Denver metro area is some Competition for Excel and get rid of the monopoly stigma they have. Excel is a corp. of bullies and they continue to bully us around. because we have no other options.
Thanks for the vent
July 16, 2008
11:28 a.m.
Suggest removal
joggle writes:
Cowboy63: "Your best bet (and mine) is to stop depending on ANY politician to save us."
And? That isn't really a suggestion any more than what your local anarchist would say. Do you actually have a solution?
Shaggy: "And Obama still says no to drilling, coal, gas and Nuclear."
I'd love to see the quote by Obama where he says that. If you actually read his energy policy (posted on his website) you would see that he supports massive investments in developing and encouraging businesses to develop clean energy sources and products, including constructing new cleaner coal power plants. It also includes continuing using nuclear power for the foreseeable future with extra safeguards to keep nuclear material out of the hands of terrorists.
He is opposed to additional drilling but I think a lot of people that are in favor of it don't understand how much of an effect drilling would have on oil prices. There's already massive amounts of oil that are offshore that oil companies have the right to drill but have held off doing. Choice quote from a recent Meet the Press interview (stated by Joseph Biden):
"This is a gift, a gift to the oil companies by John McCain. They have now leased 41 million acres of offshore leases. They're only pumping in 10.2 million of those acres. Seventy-nine percent of all the offshore oil available off the coast of Florida, into the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Coast, the Pacific Coast, lies within those acres that they now have. Why are they not pumping?"
(see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25313596/... for the transcript)
Even if the oil companies got the additional acres they want it would take 10 years before the first oil would be hitting the markets from the new platforms. And the amount is only a tiny fraction of what the US needs so would have a very negligible effect on oil prices.
Obama proposes higher fuel economy standards which would have a direct effect on the amount people spend on gas. Frankly, the US car companies would be in a much, much better position today if they had been forced to create high efficiency cars years ago (as would have happened if Al Gore had been elected). Now they are years behind Toyota and are having the biggest struggles of their life trying to cut production and development on inefficient cars and shutting down factories while going massively into debt.
July 16, 2008
11:30 a.m.
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dcolon47 writes:
If we are short on oil, then why are we exporting 1+millions of barrels a day instead of keeping it here
July 16, 2008
11:37 a.m.
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HolierThanThou writes:
Bob Schaffer is a corporate socialist.
He wants to keep US troops in Iraq to protect the investments of Aspect Energy and their oil prospects in Kurdistan. Bob Schaffer's boss made a high-risk investment there. Last time I checked, American taxpayers were funding not just our underpaid military but all the high-priced private mercenaries we have working in Iraq right now.
As a traditionally frugal conservative, I believe that private enterprise should not be getting subsidies and handouts from the US government, especially when they're multi-billion dollar companies that can afford to pay their own expenses. So, if Aspect Energy wants to prospect in Iraq they should pay for our military presence protecting their risky investments there. It's time to send them a bill for the cost. Let's charge them for the cost of the invasion, combat pay for the troops, expenses ensuing from costly medical treatments for those wounded, and new homes for the widows and orphans of those killed protecting the investments of Aspect Energy and all the other oil interests both domestic and foreign.
I'm tired of Bob Schaffer and these new-fangled spendthrift corporate socialists taking money from my pocket to fund their risky investments. The time to make them pay their own way is now.
July 16, 2008
11:39 a.m.
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Cowboy63 writes:
HolierThanThou writes: "Obama is not president, yet."
You really think that is going to matter? Congress will still have a 9% approval rating and Obama might get a whopping 35%.
Don't put your trust in politicians.
"The ONLY reason the oil companies make a stink about offshore drilling and ANWR is to distract you from that fact that they're robbing you blind."
Hey, at least I would prefer to be robbed blind by AMERICANS rather than OPEC.
July 16, 2008
11:45 a.m.
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Shaggy writes:
Hey Joggle you do understand that of the 68 million acres leaded by the Oil companies are either dry or not worth drilling?
Do you realize that with Oil at 140 bucks a barrel the Oil companies would be working overtime to get the crude out?
You have been listening to the left talking points that are fabricated.
Obama is against drilling off shore or in ANWR, Obama is against opening up Nuclear facilities, he said we need to make sure they are safe and have a safe way to store the spent fuel.
Does this idiot realize we have SAFE nuclear plants running right now.
Does this idiot understand that many Europeans Countries are self efficient because they are running on Nuclear energy and don't rely on foreign energy?
Do you understand that if Clinton wouldn't have vetoed drilling in ANWR we would be up and running at full speed right now?
algore has done nothing but cause panic and fear in stupid people who believe in the man made global warming hoax.
algore has a bigger carbon footprint than all of us on this blog combined yet he pardons himself by buying those stupid and ridiculous carbon credits.
If he was so sincere about global warming don't you think he would lead the way of cutting back on his carbon footprint?
Hell no..energy consumption went up another 10% just this year.
Do you realize Colorado, Utah and Wyoming have more Oil than under the sand in Saudi Arabia?
Now it is profitable to extract it.
btw, 80% of Americans are in favor of drilling and if the prices are still high in November and Obama sticks to his no new Oil stance you can say hello to our new President. Mr.John McCain
July 16, 2008
11:47 a.m.
Suggest removal
Shaggy writes:
"WHAT HAPPENED TO ALL THOSE WINDMILLS?"---Sas
The loony eviros put the kabash on them because a few birds were being decapitated.
July 16, 2008
12:08 p.m.
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Mighty_Mile writes:
Based on Shaggy's posts it's easy to see he's been completely indoctrinated by the MSM and should be ignored. He never backs any point he makes with facts which means he's both lazy and ignorant- a sponge soaking up vitriol from conservative talk show hosts and spewing it out here as his own ideas. I wish people would take the time to go beyond political sound bites and do some honest research on their own before spouting off. Shaggy has a very tough time even putting together a proper sentence. You are so g d ignorant I won't even begin to refute any of your posts but I will say this: even the most novel followers of politics understand that drilling ANWAR won't do jack sh@# to lower oil prices you moron. Don't bother responding to this because I will never read your paltry posts again.
July 16, 2008
12:20 p.m.
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joggle writes:
Shaggy: "Hey Joggle you do understand that of the 68 million acres leaded by the Oil companies are either dry or not worth drilling?" Based on what source? Is that taking into account today's oil prices?
"Does this idiot understand that many Europeans Countries are self efficient because they are running on Nuclear energy and don't rely on foreign energy?"
Which European is able to provide all of its own energy? Answer: there is none. They all must import oil.
"Do you understand that if Clinton wouldn't have vetoed drilling in ANWR we would be up and running at full speed right now?"
Which contains how much oil? How much do you think ANWR would lower today's oil price?
"Do you realize Colorado, Utah and Wyoming have more Oil than under the sand in Saudi Arabia?"
Now that's a crock and I hope you know it. If not, check out the USGS website which provides detailed oil and gas estimates for each region of the US and the oil companies rely on in order to determine where to drill (see http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/oilgas/noga/ for details, lots of details). I also checked http://oil-gas.state.co.us/ and found now mention of such an absurd claim and there is nothing there to suggest that they plan on extracting such a huge amount of oil in the future. BTW, the estimates for each region around Colorado and Utah are on the order of 100 million barrels or less per region (about 5 or so regions in this area).
This is the age of the Internet and it's ridiculously easy to fact check. You should give it a shot sometime.
"algore has done nothing but cause panic and fear in stupid people who believe in the man made global warming hoax."
Yes, you're absolutely right. The great majority of scientists are stupid people. That's why they have no hope in matching wits with you, ever and apparently don't even know how to do their own job that they trained for years to do. It goes without saying that this hoax should be easy for you to prove so why don't you try giving it a shot and site some sources that you think prove it's a hoax.
July 16, 2008
12:25 p.m.
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fiesty writes:
I'm tired of the reliance on oil- it puts us at the mercy of other countries, the price is constantly going up, supplies are limited and eventually WILL run out, as well as the ecological impact argument. There are so many alternate technologies that are affordable and available, yet we still rely on oil! Why don't we start taking nuclear, wind, solar, and hydro seriously??
And I'm with diablo_deal. Why am I paying the additional 10% to Xcel for green power????
July 16, 2008
12:27 p.m.
Suggest removal
Cwillyrun1 writes:
good posts Shaggy. You got mighty mite in a wad over it, too bad that one doesn't understand simple economics. More oil means lower prices, as we've seen with the stock market the last few days. Oil companies aren't the ones setting the prices, and that stupid f-in idea of a windfall tax on oil companies means they'll pass that onto the consumer....... US! It doesn't take much of an IQ to know that. Guess what, Intel increased profits 25% over the same time last year. Maybe the federal government should pass a windfall tax on them too, using the logic that some people use. The big idea a few years ago was to use "cleaner" energy in natural gas, so everyone went that way. Now we get to pay for that brilliant idea. In South Dakota, farmers are resisting plans on a new refinery that would produce clean fuels. Those are only a few of the reasons energy prices are higher than they need to be.
July 16, 2008
12:35 p.m.
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sawzallartist writes:
Shaggy
The Eighties called...they want your Raygunesque economic ignorance back.
July 16, 2008
12:40 p.m.
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jaymoveonorg writes:
mighty_mile,
So we might as well not drill anywhere, because it won't do anything to help decrease the price of oil? That is exactly why we need to drill in ANWAR, off shore, here and anywhere we can get the precious resource. At least until renewable resources are more affordable, which they are not right now. Who here can afford a 20k to 30k loan to install wind and solar panels? Not me.
Does anyone notice that our cost of electricity has gone up dramatically since the Colorado voters back in 2004 made it mandatory that all Colorado energy companies utilize at least 3% of the electricity by 2007 and 10% by 2015 to come from solar and wind?
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/r...
happymike44,
Please investigate what happened to privately owned oil companies after they were taken over by the government. Big mess. See PEMEX. Also, since US oil companies control only 10% of the oil production in the world and can not meet our current needs how do you propose the government taking over the oil companies will help reduce the price of oil? LIke it or not we are in a world market and any oil we take out of our land will go into the oil market. The good news is that instead of the money going to pay foreign workers and countries we can hire American workers to extract the oil and gas domestically. We can't tax foreign oil wells but we can tax it here.
July 16, 2008
12:44 p.m.
Suggest removal
rurude writes:
I see this may be funny (hence some of the jokes above) but my ex-husband's mother will be one of those people. She has worked most of her adult life (her husband served in the military but is now deceased) and because she was born in Florida by mid-wife she doesn't have a birth certificate on record and cannot get any funds from anywhere because of it. As, the illegals are making it harder for Americans to get Social Security, disablity, etc. As she should be able to receive since she has breast cancer and her insurance from her job only pays so much - she is in her late sixties but can't work because of kemo.
I don't think it's funny - whatever happened to us caring for each other as big business screws up backwards.
Good day.
July 16, 2008
12:44 p.m.
Suggest removal
TC writes:
bjones
You pretty much nailed it.
July 16, 2008
12:55 p.m.
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jaymoveonorg writes:
I guess we can let big government take over all our power requirements. Just ask the Europeans what price they are paying at the pump and for the electric bill? The European governments are one great job over there.
rurude,
My grandmother has ran out of money and can not live off of here Social security check. Instead of dumping her and letting the government take care of her I am letting her move in with me.
July 16, 2008
12:56 p.m.
Suggest removal
ezekiel777 writes:
it's immoral to cut off power, water, heat and ac to the poor, the ill and the elderly.... whether its summer or winter..... it's just plain immoral.... and the stress can kill.
contribute to LEAP or a local charity giving assistance to allow them to provide this life-saving help.... forget about yourselves...(for a moment)... put down that over-priced beverage....and help someone.
July 16, 2008
12:58 p.m.
Suggest removal
diablo_deal writes:
Where Does All the Oil Come From?
The United States and Oil Imports - Facts and Figures
Over the course of the past few years, a great deal of media attention has focused on the not only the cost of oil but the availability of oil. Citizens of different countries around the world, including those in the United States, have become increasingly concerned about the cost and availability of fuel oil.
In point of fact, the United States has become ever more dependent upon imported or foreign oil. A mere thirty years ago, 28% of the oil consumed in the United States was imported. Today nearly 60% of the oil utilized and consumed in the United States is imported from other countries.
Turning to the stability of the nations from which the U.S. imports oil, a good share of imported oil does come from nations that have fairly stable political situations. However, as will be discussed shortly, the largest amount of oil reserves are located in the Middle East -- one o fthe most volatile regions of the world. Most people are surprised to learn that the country from which the United States imports the greatest amount of oil is Canada. In recent years, the United States has imported approximately 200 million barrels of crude oil annually from Canada.
Oil imports into the United States from Saudi Arabia come in at second place with about 160 million barrels of crude oil annually from the Kingdom. The United States imports about the same amount of oil from Mexico as it does from Saudi Arabia on an annual basis. Other countries from which the United States imports oil are: Venezuela, Nigeria, Iraq, the United Kingdom, Norway, Angola, Algeria and Colombia.
Oil, coal and natural gas account for more than 85% of the energy consumed in the United States at this point in time. Oil accounts for nearly 40% of all energy utilized in the United States in this day and age.
this was taken from http://www.quoteoil.com/oil-imports.html
also if you google "where does the us get it's oil from" all of the different web sites say the same thing.
Most of our oil comes from CANADA.
#2 on the list is Saudi Arabia
check it out.
What we need to do is have all of the truckers in the US go on strike like they did in Europe to get the gas prices down.
Sorry for the long post had to give facts.
July 16, 2008
1:04 p.m.
Suggest removal
MiHiman writes:
I feel bad for anyone that loses there basic needs but would be curious to know how many of these customers have money for cigarettes and booze OR how many of these customers have money for cigarettes and booze but are on Government aid and will now want more free help to get the power back on...
Quit having children you can't afford/Get a job/ and become a respondsible part of society and PAY YOUR BILLS!!!
July 16, 2008
1:22 p.m.
Suggest removal
Oroboros writes:
mamma354 writes:
"I want to know how many of these people getting their power shut off are illegal aliens. I believe that with the recent work place raids that many of these people are illegal aliens who can't find work."
That's right. Every single news story is really about illegal aliens, only the "liberal media" loves them too much to say it. All of your problems are about illegal aliens. Maybe we need to round them all up, put them in big camps, denounce them as vermin and fire up the ovens. I bet you can actually make energy burning illegal aliens.
There, I just solved the illegal immigration problem AND the energy problem.
</sarcasm because some of you are clearly impaired>
July 16, 2008
1:24 p.m.
Suggest removal
infidel91 writes:
The answer is simple. Just make energy a "right" like health care. Then we can institute single-payer/universal energy, and everyone will live happily ever after.
July 16, 2008
1:26 p.m.
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Bookem writes:
HolerThanThou....
Your 10:44 am post. "Business note: nuclear power is so expensive that ordinary capitalists refuse to fund the construction of new plants. The funding for nuclear power must therefore come from the tax base."
Just out of curiosity can you tell us how expensive nuclear energy is compared to wind, solar and coal?
July 16, 2008
1:53 p.m.
Suggest removal
Shaggy writes:
Another Liberal myth peering it's pimply face is that it is going to take 10 years for the Oil to hit the market.
Another thing all you fruity loons need to understand is that wind energy and solar won't cause a dent in the energy needs of America.
Understand no where on earth does the wind blow constantly and we still have no idea how to store this power and it is very unpredictable.
Does that mean we should we not consider it though? NO we should be doing everything and anything we can do be self energy efficient.
Drill here and drill now. If there is Oil in your or my back yard we poke a hole a extract it out.
We should be skimming all the frog ponds and be making vegatable Oil out of the algae.
We should be doing everything we can WHILE OUR SCIENTIST OR EXPERIMENTING WITH ALTERNATIVE ENERGY.
What is funny about the femdems is that they don't want to drill in ANWR stating it would take 10 years for it be a producer yet they are willing to except the 10 years it would take for wind energy to make a tiny little iota dent in the Energy crisis.
It is all about physics people, wind energy and solar energy WILL NOT be able to supply America with all it's energy needs, we will still need fossil fuels and Colorado is loaded with them...The big problem is that we have a partisian stooge as Governor that thinks likes Obama.
Quote my words, read my lips, If Obama doesn't change his drilling stance he will loose in November. Almost 80% of Americans want to star drilling.
Saying it won't help lower gas prices is another whacked out Liberal myth...This what they want you to think, it is Liberal BS.
July 16, 2008
2:04 p.m.
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Cowboy63 writes:
MiHiman writes:
I feel bad for anyone that loses there basic needs but would be curious to know how many of these customers have money for cigarettes and booze OR how many of these customers have money for cigarettes and booze but are on Government aid and will now want more free help to get the power back on...
Quit having children you can't afford/Get a job/ and become a respondsible part of society and PAY YOUR BILLS!!!
Well said MiHiman - just thought it deserved a second post.
July 16, 2008
2:31 p.m.
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Steph writes:
Shaggy, you have a lot of nerve (but not much sense) to rag about the liberals. You're boy W is the worst thing to happen to this country and I bet you voted for that POS twice.
YOU HAVE NO CREDIBILITY.
July 16, 2008
2:32 p.m.
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ezekiel777 writes:
i heard a bigot say in a public forum:
"i believe in the lifeboat theory... when the lifeboat is too full you start throwing people out."
that's what bigots believe and their so-called "conservative principles" ultimately lead to people dying.
i don't hold to these "family values" nor do i support the bigots who trumpet them. when you really get to their core values they think of themselves as better than others..... especially the poor. so they end up throwing rocks or otherwise judging those who need help.... yet they don't give help.... and poor suffer more.
July 16, 2008
2:41 p.m.
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CheapEnergyNow writes:
People we don't get our electricity from oil. Don't blame big oil for this one. This is squarely on the shoulders of the environmentist. Ritter, Salazar, Udall, Polis, WRA and the Sierra Club. Wind solar and conservation. The ultimate conservation is to shut the power off. Ritter, Salazar, Udall, Polis were elcted to represent the people of Colorado. They forgot that and they are now trying to save the world from global warming, climate change or what ever it is called this week.
July 16, 2008
2:50 p.m.
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redwhiteandBLUE writes:
Mama354,
There are NO illegal aliens suffering with no light and gas...they still fill up there huge trucks and SUV at the pump..there is no pain at the pump for them more so Xcel energy..plus they get all the benefits for their jackpot babies and their men working under the table ..and transporting drugs and illegals. I KNOW! And see the traffic ..in my neighborhood. The ones going through hardship is the American Citizen..working and living their lives legally. Playing by the rules. What illegal can't find work ?
July 16, 2008
2:54 p.m.
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redwhiteandBLUE writes:
Cowboy..
That's right pay your bills..I've never in my life been without lights and gas..know your "priorities"
Mama354,
And what "RAIDS" 2 yrs ago ?
July 16, 2008
3:07 p.m.
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Buckwheat writes:
I don't want to say this to loud. But my daughter in Indiana, and sister in Baltimore, are paying 3x what i am for utilities. I wonder how low income people make it out there?
July 16, 2008
3:17 p.m.
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jlstaud writes:
This is pretty funny. Liberals blaming conservatives. Conservatives blaming liberals and the beat goes on. Nothing really changes. I just wish you all could get it in your heads that they're ALL to blame. Liberals are no less guilty than the conservatives are when it comes to being in the back pocket of some corporation somewhere. Maybe for the conservatives its oil, although there are plenty of liberals gettin money from the same people and maybe for the liberals its the unions. Face it, the politicians that run this country are all OWNED by someone. Aren't we all? It's the American way!
July 16, 2008
3:21 p.m.
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joggle writes:
Shaggy: "Another Liberal myth peering it's pimply face is that it is going to take 10 years for the Oil to hit the market."
Even the most pro-drilling article I could find (http://www.businessandmedia.org/print...) doesn't claim that the oil would be available in less than 10 years (based on a government report by U.S. Energy Information Administration). Another problem is that the ships needed for drilling in the new area are in high demand so there would be a delay while waiting for them (see http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/19/bus...).
Nobody running for president or anything else is claiming that getting all of our energy from wind and solar will be possible anytime soon. Why don't you try READING their policies for once rather than just spouting off whatever the last thing you heard on the radio or read in some far-right website?
And for crying out loud, why the heck should I take your word on anything? I keep citing sources because I don't expect people to take my word for granted. Why should I take yours??
July 16, 2008
3:28 p.m.
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Shaggy writes:
Hey Steph
Don't look now but the surge is working remarkably well, so well in fact that Obama is starting to change his tune.
Just the other day he said he will listen to our Generals assessment of the war when he gets to Iraq before he makes further judgment.
Hey thats ironic, Bush says the same thing..hehehe
When Iraq is secured and we have a strong ally in the Middle East, Bush is going to be looked at like a genius..hehehe
btw, if s--- hits the fan in Iran, people are going to look for someone with some kahunas and experience for President and vote McCain.
What experience does Obama have besides 143 days in the senate when he decided to run.
Oh..forgot..he assembled bitter black people in Chicago..
He can't even stand up to his racist reverend of 20 years..
As people see who Obama really is, his poll numbers diminish.
He is nothing but a plastic rock star running out of fans.
July 16, 2008
3:34 p.m.
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joggle writes:
As for getting oil from oil shale in the west, that's been tried before without success (quite the opposite). Ken Salazar made a good response to it today: http://www.denverpost.com/opinion/ci_... saying, essentially, that we need to prove that it can be done cost effectively before trying on a grand scale with government guarantees that, if it doesn't work, leave tax payers holding a huge bill (as has happened in the past).
July 16, 2008
3:38 p.m.
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joggle writes:
Shaggy: "As people see who Obama really is, his poll numbers diminish."
Based on what? All I see are articles like this: http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/zo...
Would you mind stop making stuff up and start citing sources? You're just a few clicks away from the vast resources of the Internet, surely you could tie some of your claims to reality if you tried. Up to now you haven't cited a single source to back up any of your claims.
July 16, 2008
3:40 p.m.
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CheapEnergyNow writes:
Coal is our cheapest most abundant fuel for generating power. Are you troubled with high ELECTRIC prices (not oil, Xcel doesn't do oil) here's the enemy.
"Nilles said the Sierra Club has helped stop 63 of the 150 coal-fired power plants that were in the planning stages since 2002, including 31 last year."
http://www.enn.com/top_stories/articl...
July 16, 2008
3:43 p.m.
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Vector049 writes:
I'm all for nuclear power and strongly believe that America's newest reactor should be built in Douglas County.
July 16, 2008
3:50 p.m.
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joggle writes:
Trythinking: According to the article you linked to they are stopping plants in the planning stages with a threat to sue (citing the Clean Air Act) if they don't go back to get approval for more strict pollution controls (to stop the release of mercury for example). The technology is available and cost effective to implement in coal power plants to meet the stricter environmental regulations. All the plant owners have to do is cough up the initial investment to pay for it. Big deal.
July 16, 2008
4 p.m.
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Oroboros writes:
joggle writes:
"You're just a few clicks away from the vast resources of the Internet, surely you could tie some of your claims to reality if you tried. Up to now you haven't cited a single source to back up any of your claims."
It's a hopeless cause. Some people will never let the facts get in the way of their opinions.
"A democratic society depends upon an informed and educated citizenry." - Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson was spot on. It explains well why our country has gone to hell.
July 16, 2008
4:02 p.m.
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Shaggy writes:
hey Joggle, how many points was Obama up by in Colorado say a couple of weeks ago?
15 points
What his it at now?
Virtually tied.
What is it Nationally?
Here you go..look it up yourself.
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/...
Do you guys ever do any research?
No wonder why so many of you have no clue who Obama is, but as time passes and people are realizing who he really is he is dropping like a dead duck.
btw, His pro abortion stance isn't helping in the Christian or Catholic sector.
Nor is his stance that Americans are bitter and cling to their Religion and guns.
This guy is nothing new like he claims, he is just another flip flopping Politician.
At first he thought the gun ban was Constitutional in D.C. than when it was over ruled as Unconstitutional he changed his stance and said he agreed with the ruling.
This guy voted over a thousand times present instead of taking a fricking stance and sticking with it.
Why don't you all take a little time and listen to some of the incredible BS and racist comments of Obamas..Hell you can even listen to them coming right out of his mouth...they are on tape and in his own book.
July 16, 2008
4:04 p.m.
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CheapEnergyNow writes:
What is your point? They didn't stop 63 of the cheapest resource we have from coming online or the stopped them but it was a good thing? They don't want coal. Period. Sorry I deal with these folks everyday of my life. Hg is today's issue, CO2 will be tomorrows, and god knows what is next. They killed nuclear, they are killing coal, they love gas, but hate drilling for it. They are responsible for taking a cheap abundant resource, electricity, and making it scarce and expensive. Can you argue that? How much power they the Sierra Club deliver today. I personal delivered 3.6 MW with my hard work, education and my capital at risk.
July 16, 2008
4:31 p.m.
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bookwerm writes:
The dollar is worth about half what it was 7 years ago. Based on that, gas is really $2.00/gallon in pre BUSH stupidity dollars. Really. And this lost US dollar value affects EVERYTHING that is NOT local.. food, grain, power, etc. as that is dictated by international trade pricing. But that isn't even the real issue. The real issue is that heating, electricity etc. are MOSTLY based on a diminishing resource.. oil, coal, and natural gas, which are priced at international trade, not local, levels, AND which cost more and will CONTINUE to increase in price. Why? well, when we were one of the few users, demand was low.. as India, China and elsewhere UP their use, the demand AND price will go up.. And expecting other countries to NOT demand oil, gas, etc. so we can continue to live 'in our moment in time' is just stupid.
so.. reality is, energy costs will go up.. folks who used to be able to pay their bills won't be able to anymore.. add in loss of jobs, underemployment due to loss of high paying jobs, and we have a rock, a hard place, and us in the middle.
Huge Swaths of the south, from Georgia to Arizona, rely on AC to make life "comfy".. well, when you can't afford AC you are NOT going to want to live there.. Colorado is arid enough that Evap/swamp coolers work well (I barely use AC, put in a cooler). That won't work in Florida, Texas, etc. where it is ALSO humid! Expect huge exodus in the coming years from anywhere hot in the summers.
And what about winter? YOu might not like heat but folks live in it all the time.. and don't die.. stay in the shade, take siestas, what have you. But you will DIE in the cold.. so, what happens when you can't pay the heating bill? Not an issue of comfort then.. but one of survival.. barring California AND the south (unbearable for most without AC), not many places you can live without heat.. Sure we can all go to pellet stoves, or wood ones, but we are talking MILLIONS of houses.. Yes, I added a wood stove.. if we want it warmer, we burn wood
July 16, 2008
4:54 p.m.
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joggle writes:
The article you link to Shaggy refer to only two polls, one of which is very questionable (a Newsweek poll being substantially lower than a previous one which should surprise nobody because no other poll (at least that I can find) showed Obama leading by 15 points in June other than the previous Newsweek one). I checked Zogby, Newsweek, cnn, Gallup, and Rasmussen and found that the only one that had a big drop in the last month was Newsweek, which is only because their June poll was wrong (Obama did not have a 15 point lead). Another site I checked is http://www.electoral-vote.com/evp2008... which shows an accumulation of polls for all of the states. It's pretty clear that Obama has maintained his lead for the past month overall.
"Do you guys ever do any research?"
I think based on all of the links I already posted, yes I do research (duh), including a link to a Zogby poll in a previous post. I also made specific references to Obama's energy policy based on the pdf posted on his website.
Trythinking: my point is that if those coal companies simply planned on installing the pollution controls then they could have proceeded. They stopped their plans because they knew that they would lose in court. All they need to do is what the other 80 or so plants include, additional pollution controls. If those other plants can do it why can't these 60 get their act together? They probably haven't really been 'stopped'. They probably are reworking their plans and getting them certified now so that eventually these 63 plants will also be constructed.
July 16, 2008
5:36 p.m.
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PRoy writes:
Questions (I've yet to get XCel to actually answer this):
Behind my house, there is a power line that runs behind ever persons house in my subdivision.
From that power line, there are feeder lines that run into each house.
How is it that that single line is able to segregate out the "wind power" from the "coal power" that Xcel wants to charge me $1.00 more each month to use?
How does my house know that I am to get the wind and my neighbors is not?
When my new neighbors (immediately next door) moved into the house and had the power turned on (house was vacant for 2 months as a renters house) - no-one from Excel came out to the house and "flipped" any magicaly switch to allow these new people to use the "green" power they were paying for (the old people did not pay this extra).
Sorry, but the bleep about "paying to use this wonder power" is a load - people are simply subsidizing the company to help "build new plants".
Quite honestly - I've ASKED this question of Xcel and they have never been able to give me an answer (been hung up on twice!)
July 16, 2008
8:40 p.m.
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sawzallartist writes:
"Quite honestly - I've ASKED this question of Xcel and they have never been able to give me an answer (been hung up on twice!)"
What do you think the meter is there for? I would hang up on you also.
Shaggy you brownshirt wh0re....I hope the checks you get for posting RNC tripe isn't from Phil Gramm's favorite bank Indymac or you are SOL. Oh wait...the socialist government you type rail against has that covered.
July 16, 2008
9:12 p.m.
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MiHiman writes:
OK...Did anyone notice the posterchild for this article..Looks like someone had money to have her hair and nails done!!!!You do the math
July 16, 2008
9:34 p.m.
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ManginoTorreta writes:
I guess since I don't live in a house I don't feel the pinch as much--I haven't paid more than $40 in any month since I've been in my apartment, and I have the TV and my laptop on most of the time I'm home. It's really not that hard--leave the heat or AC off when you go to work, leave lights off in rooms you aren't using, use flourescent bulbs. Little things like that are going to do more to bring an energy bill down than the state going on a wind power grid.
But seriously, how do you lose a position at Subway, of all places? How big of a screw-up do you have to be to get fired from a fast-food chain? No wonder this person has financial problems.
July 16, 2008
9:41 p.m.
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kali73 writes:
How many of these people not paying their bill have cable/satellite, cell phones, or even an ipod? This is Colorado, an air conditionor is not a necessity as Cherise Smith seems to think! What lack of responsibility! Think of our grandparents - they did not have AC and paid their bills. Cut em off!
July 16, 2008
10:05 p.m.
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xeeian writes:
I just remember in the `California Energy Crisis` in 2000 and 2001 caused by the Republican deregulation of the Energy Industry.
What was the alleged cause? Oh, California didn't `build enough` power plants, you know those enviros and all. Bush said that nothing improper going on; the free market will take care of everything.
Then when Enron and Ken Lay collapsed what came out? That Enron had screwed Calilfornia over, by taking plants down during prime time, shipping power out of the California and then back into California.
Yeah, its the dems and the enviros. The Republicans have absolutely nothing to do with it. In fact, what the heck do Bush and Cheney even know about the energy industry?
July 17, 2008
12:12 a.m.
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windskull writes:
The headline should read EXCEL HOLDINGS PLUNGE BY 75,000 LOOK FOR RATE HIKES TO BALANCE REVENUE LOSSES
July 17, 2008
2:26 a.m.
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Creative_N_Denver writes:
What will happen is these people will get help with the bills and end up back in the same spot in a month or two. I am constantly hearing people complaining in stores about their Excel bill, yet I see a cart full of items that are not needed. I too noticed the person in the photo had her nails done, everyone lists their needs differently. She could also be a model and the person taking the shot wasn't really paying attention.
July 17, 2008
2:32 a.m.
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Creative_N_Denver writes:
Mine last month was $210- I have a 4 bedroom home, two AC's. Winter runs $160 I wear a sweater and keep it around 67 degrees- My house is small though and I never have to cool the basement, it stays cool in the summer, cool but warm enough in the winter.
July 17, 2008
7:18 a.m.
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Juspassinby writes:
I notice Smith has enough money to keep her claw-like manicure up.
July 17, 2008
10:34 a.m.
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Macita183 writes:
Of course there are many people out there that do need help. However, I think a lot of people have their priorities wrong. If you can't afford your Xcel bill why would you have your air conditioning on? My Xcel bill is high enough without adding air conditioning usage on top of that, so I leave all the windows open and use a fan at night.
July 17, 2008
11:11 a.m.
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jay writes:
i thought the cost of fuel wasn't impacting average americans...
real wages folks....real wages.
July 26, 2008
12:28 p.m.
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spark writes:
HOW DOES NO ONE SEE THIS! the real problem is excel is a MONOPOLY! and for those who would claim it isn't, please give me one alternative in the denver metro area.............exactly. That being said they may basically do what they want and have no motivation what so ever to be competitive in customer service or in their pricing. And as long as they keep lining the pockets of politicians they will continue to ROB YOU! i would really love to hear a logical argument from anyone who will claim that excels monopoly is a good thing for customers of any political creed.
August 3, 2008
7:34 a.m.
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mervellen writes:
Excel is a private company jumping on the greed bandwagon.
The PUC, public utilities commission is in their pocket, as they are PAID by Excel to oversight rate increases. This article shows what rampant corporate greed does to the struggling middle and lower classes. Those unable to pay the inflated ransom demanded of them have their power turned off, others do without food and necessities to pay the the Excel greed mongers.
Does this corporation care that it is hurting the most vulnerable in our society? No, like the hospitals, they cut their losses with the weak and bill the dying middle class for the difference.
We pay our elected officials to make policy and protect us from these kind of abuses. I call for STATE regulation of "public" utilities, and ask that public servants do the job we elected them to and get this crazed greed cycle under control before things get much worse for the poor and fixed income folks.
Everyone please email or call your state representative, senator and congressperson. It is an election year and they tend to be more responsive at this time than any other. If we all make a small effort we can turn this around!