The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has announced a series of upcoming virtual public comment hearings, inviting community members to participate and share their perspectives on several utility-related proposals. The PUC’s online calendar lists all scheduled opportunities for public input.
Director Rebecca White emphasized the importance of community engagement, stating, “The PUC wants to hear the concerns and perspectives of community members about the proposed Xcel Energy Wildfire Mitigation Plan and many others. Public comment provides the Commission with a broad range of perspectives from directly impacted community members, which is critical in decision-making. In addition to these public comment hearings, the Commission can take public comment online, by phone, mail or email.”
Among the key topics is Xcel Energy’s $1.9 billion Wildfire Mitigation Plan (WMP), which includes targeted equipment inspections and repairs, expanded vegetation management, enhancements to system protection, improved weather and wind modeling, updated practices for public safety power shut-offs, and increased outreach efforts. Three virtual public comment hearings are scheduled for this plan: February 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., March 13 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., and April 29 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Stakeholder meetings focused on the WMP will also be held with participation from state government experts. These sessions will be available for viewing on the Commission’s YouTube channel as noted on the PUC calendar.
Additional proceedings include rulemaking related to labor requirements for electric and gas utilities as part of resource planning and infrastructure projects. This effort follows SB23-292 and aims to clarify how Best Value Employment Metrics are used when assessing workforce conditions such as training access, wages, benefits, use of local labor, and other factors relevant to energy sector projects requiring apprenticeships and prevailing wages.
A virtual information meeting about these rules will take place January 21 from noon to 1 p.m., while a dedicated public comment hearing is set for March 4 beginning at 11 a.m., closing early if all comments are received but not later than 5 p.m.
Xcel Energy has also filed an application for approval of its Thermal Energy Network Pilot as required by HB23-1252. A related virtual hearing is planned for January 21 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Public comments may reference specific proceeding numbers and be submitted through various channels including an online form or via email at dora_puc_website@state.co.us; by mailing comments to Colorado Public Utilities Commission offices at 1560 Broadway, Suite 250 in Denver; or by calling (303) 869-3490 where both English and Spanish options are available.
Information about participating in any hearing can be found on the PUC Calendar at https://puc.colorado.gov/puccalendar. Interpreting services in ASL or Spanish can be requested two weeks ahead of each event by contacting Holly.bise@state.co.us.
