CCLP testifies at the PUC Commissioner Panel

CCLP testifies at the PUC Commissioner Panel

by Milena Tayah| Feb 4, 2026

Community Insight, Equity work, Lived Experience, News, Public Utilities, Research and Policy Analysis, Testimony

Milena Tayah, Policy Advocate at CCLP, provided oral comments and recommendations to the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) Commissioner Panel on Tuesday, February 2, 2026.

Good afternoon Commission and thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak to you today.

My name is Milena Tayah, and I am a Policy Advocate at Colorado Center on Law and Policy, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization advancing the rights of every Coloradan. We focus on food, income, housing, and health through litigation, legislation, research, and advocacy.

I am here to provide comments and recommendations regarding the December 2025 Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) plan that was implemented by Xcel Energy. I am an Xcel Energy customer. I became aware of the PSPS when our contract lobbyist forwarded the notice from Melanie Roth, the Emergency Response Coordinator at Health Facilities and Emergency Medical Services Division at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE). Eventually, when Xcel shortened the map of shutoffs to be in Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties I still did not get communication and was still anticipating being shut off.

We at CCLP outreached to the community impacted and received their feedback. Most households spoken to experienced two and a half to three days of the power outage in Boulder and Evergreen. These community members were notified of the planned shutoff via text, email, and on the account holder's billing pages.

What went well

Speaking to residents and customers of Xcel in Boulder and Evergreen, some appreciated getting advanced notification of the outage which allowed many to find flashlights and candles and make sure phones and other items were charged in advance. Some reported having gas fireplaces or a gas grill to be able to maintain heat and cook during the outage. The residents we spoke to noted that while it was very inconvenient and pretty chilly, they did not suffer or lose any food. However, they noted that without prior notification it would have been much worse.

What did not go so well

Others were less fortunate. An individual's wife, who is in a facility due to dementia, shared that the backup power the facility had set up was not sufficient to light more than hallways and emergency equipment. Other consumers mentioned concerns and difficulties in keeping their food cold, as many people had purchased large amounts of food to prepare for the incoming holidays. Having individuals and households rely on generators did not go as planned for many. Generators that run on gas can only be refilled if the household has the finances and access to refill them. Gas stations that were in the areas of the shutoff were also closed because they use electrical pumps to have the gasoline pumps working. Unless they have the money to purchase multiple gallons of gasoline the gas generators are not as helpful as they intend to be. For those that had to travel to the next open gas station was about a 14-mile journey. Not everybody is able to make such commutes.

Recommendations

We recommend additional communication and planning efforts with local law enforcement and first responders. Considering they are going to be the ones dispatched at the time the outage takes place, their expertise is vital to continued efforts for this plan to work sufficiently. We also encourage Xcel to outreach their medically frail identified customers to ensure they are prepared and answer any questions those individuals might have. We encourage Xcel to contact and partner with local health organizations and clinics that can provide additional information and assistance for the medically vulnerable customers.

Additionally, we recommend ways to work with local gas stations in preparation for future shutoffs. If there are ways to partner with gas stations to allow for discounted or rebated costs for gasoline used for backup generators, that would be beneficial in addition to turning on power selectively, if possible, to allow local consumers access to refill their gasoline powered generators.

For local grocery stores, we recommend communicating with store managers and determining how to provide generators to ensure the loss of foods are not substantial. Following a power outage, consumers are going to need to restock on any foods they may have lost during the outage. It is imperative that these stores are communicated with.

Education was a significant part of the feedback we received from consumers. More consistent updates for when power is estimated to be restored, providing information on lessons learned to consumers directly and additional explanations on why our power structure works and is shut off as planned, are recommended moving forward.

Language access should also be a key focus for the future. Ensuring consumers are warned about the potential shutoffs in the language of their hearts. We urge Xcel to work with the local communities they operate in and obtain communications in each language possible, and include those who are hard of hearing and deaf.

Conclusion

We applaud the Public Utilities Commission and Xcel Energy in their collaboration to ensure that the next time a plan is implemented, like the barriers and the unintended consequences that arose from December's shutoff, are avoided. I know that together the next time the shutoffs are necessary it will be a significant improvement to the December shutoff.

Thank you for your time.

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