Xcel Energy customers
Customers joined this online meeting with the Public Utilities Commission on Tuesday to voice their energy bills.
DENVER — The Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) held a public hearing Tuesday into high energy costs.
It ended up being a listening session, leaving customer complaints unanswered.
Xcel Energy customers
“How many times has the PUC refused these requests for a rate increase? I’ve been here – I’m a native. I have never heard of them refusing a rate increase,” said a customer of Xcel Energy during the meeting.
“I’m sorry I’m unable to answer questions, but all I can tell you is that I can assure you that we are listening and trying to do what we can,” the commissioner said. from PUC, Eric Blank.
Blank led the meeting, moving from one public comment to the next, but his responses were purposely blank.
Xcel Energy customers
“Mr. Blank, how can we get our questions answered? Right now you are very polite and calm everyone down. How can we get our questions answered? Which forum should we go through? It obviously doesn’t work,” said one customer.
” I do not know what to tell you. We have pending cases before us and we are functioning as judges in those cases and we are not able to answer questions in forums like this without impairing our ability to decide those future cases,” he said. said Blank.
Xcel Energy customers
Customers have complained about high energy bills and recent rate increases approved by the PUC. The natural gas rate increases include Xcel’s dollar-for-dollar reimbursement of the price of natural gas.
“My bill two months ago was $131, my bill from a month ago went to $331. I just got my bill, it’s $481,” said customer Jeanette Neubauer.
“Not only do I don’t want you to give them another rate increase, I don’t even know if that’s possible, but I would like you to reverse their natural gas rate increase from two months ago.” , said customer Maury Cohen. .
“They have to invest their profits in infrastructure. That’s what companies do, which is to put their own money into infrastructure,” said client Jill Egburtson.
“We need help here, we really need help,” said client Gary Martinez.
The recommendation for customers is to contact the Utility Consumer Advocate, the group that represents the public at hearings before the PUC.
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