In The Denver Gazette, reporter Michael Braithwaite covers Xcel Energy Colorado President Robert Kenney’s pushback on Gov. Jared Polis’ critique of the company’s communication during last week’s wind-driven shutoffs. Kenney called the governor’s statement “unfortunate” and “uninformed,” saying Xcel had warned customers as early as the prior week and coordinated with local emergency offices. The company also projected that most customers would see power back by 10 p.m. Saturday, with some exceptions in the foothills.
The piece details the storm, shifting restoration timelines as crews maxed out on hours, and resource centers opened with the Red Cross. It also notes the scale: tens of thousands intentionally de-energized for wildfire danger, more than 100,000 impacted at points, and a governor eager to fault the utility for “confusing communication.” Xcel’s answer: safety first, facts over spin.
The Bullet Point Brief
- Xcel says it warned customers and worked with local emergency management; Polis’ swipe was, in Kenney’s words, uninformed.
- Most power by 10 p.m. Saturday was the target, with Evergreen-area exceptions and some lingering Sunday or Monday repairs.
- Crews hit 16-hour limits and paused overnight; assessing damage in the dark is risky and slow. Safety actually matters.
- Xcel opened resource centers with the Red Cross while wind warnings and bone-dry fuels drove the shutoff call.
- Online outrage met a corporate clapback. Translation: the governor grandstanded, the utility worked the problem.
My Bottom Line
I have been tough on Xcel in windy weeks. Fair is fair. Their communications with me as a Weld County Commissioner were robust, frequent, and clear. I am a retired professional communicator, and I’d give the Xcel comms team an A+. Governor Gaslight did what he does best: deflect. “People are angry, so I’ll blame someone else.” That’s not leadership. That’s PR.
Make no mistake. This kerfuffle arrives the very moment the Polis-appointed PUC decides Colorado must move away from natural gas. That call did not cause last week’s winds, but it raises a real question: if the Governor’s hand-picked commission orders us to electrify everything, is the state’s top electric provider actually ready for that load while we also chase 100 percent renewables?
Xcel is a company. It answers to shareholders, and it is heavily regulated by an unelected commission that takes its cues from the Governor. Of course the utility weighs wildfire risk and, yes, legal exposure. Public safety shutoffs protect firefighters and property. They also protect the balance sheet from trial lawyers. Both can be true.
So, Great Suburban Normie, connect the dots. The same political machine demanding full electrification is the one that mandated renewable targets utilities say are impossible to meet on the stated timeline. You can’t will physics into submission. You can, however, leave families sitting in cold living rooms while politicians tweet.
Be ready. Light up the PUC in public comment. Tell your legislators they made a mistake. Keep the praise where it’s due on communication, and put the pressure where it belongs on policy. Reliability first. Affordability always.
Source: The Denver Gazette
