Xcel Energy Spends About $4 Million Campaigning as Three Cities Vote on 20-Year Franchise Agreements
Colorado Public Radio reported on November 1 that Xcel Energy is spending millions of dollars to persuade voters in Denver, Broomfield and Glendale, Colorado, to approve new 20-year franchise agreements with the company on November 3. Such agreements grant the utility the right to use city land for infrastructure and coordinate related construction.
Company spokesperson Sydney Eisenberg said the "Yes on 2K" campaign is paid for with company funds and costs about $4 million, which the company says it will recover through franchise fees charged to customers. Denver's ballot measure is numbered 2K. Jeff Ackermann of the advocacy group Colorado Common Cause, a former state utilities commissioner, said franchise agreements are a lever for cities and customers on issues such as renewable energy and low-income assistance; under the draft agreements, the parties would review performance every five years.
The three cities' current agreements do not expire at the same time: Denver's runs to the end of 2026, while Broomfield's and Glendale's run until December 31, 2027. If a new agreement fails, Denver could face a period of regulatory uncertainty first. Voters in all three cities decide on November 3.
(Source: Colorado Public Radio)
Source: Colorado Public Radio
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：丹佛市中心。Quintin Soloviev 摄，CC BY 4.0，经 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: downtown Denver. By Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
