Xcel Energy stands as Colorado’s largest electricity provider, powering over 1.5 million people. In recent years, the company has faced mounting scrutiny from both customers and the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) regarding service outages and customer support issues. This article examines how Xcel Energy is addressing these challenges and outlines the steps regulators are taking to ensure better reliability for residents.
Over the past few years, Xcel Energy experienced a significant rise in customer complaints and service reliability problems. According to The Colorado Sun, unresolved billing issues and prolonged power outages have drawn attention from the PUC. In 2024 alone, blackouts more than doubled, and customer complaints jumped by 100% compared to previous years.
The commission attributed part of these issues to staff and budget reductions in customer service departments. Erin O’Neill, chief economist for the commission, noted a 10% cut in staff and a 5% drop in related budgets between 2022 and 2024. As a result, customers often waited longer for support and resolution of billing problems.
Faced with these concerns, Xcel Energy acknowledged the problems and moved to make improvements. The company has hired an additional 170 customer service agents and plans to add 90 more soon. Addressing the reliability of its power grid, Xcel has targeted the worst-performing transmission lines for upgrades and maintenance. Early reports in 2025 indicate a 93% decrease in outages for the first four months of the year, showing progress in the right direction.
The Colorado PUC has decided to closely monitor Xcel Energy's performance. The utility must now collect and report monthly reliability and customer service metrics. This new oversight aims to track important data, including outage causes, response speed, and billing resolution times. PUC Chairman Eric Blank emphasized that these steps set expectations and could lead to emergency regulations if problems persist.
For more details on the regulators’ plans and previous actions regarding Xcel Energy's performance, see the comprehensive report from The Colorado Sun.
Customers across Colorado are encouraged by Xcel Energy’s commitment to improvement. While recent changes are promising, ongoing transparency and accountability will be essential. Residents facing lingering issues should continue reporting problems to the company and the state commission for resolution. The focus on data-driven oversight by regulators offers hope for lasting positive change.
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