Congressman Mark Udall
Electronic Newsletter
February 20, 2001  Volume 3, Issue 1

PUC SHOULD REQUIRE XCEL TO BUY MORE WIND POWER

Last week, I urged the Colorado Public Utilities Commission to require Xcel, the state's largest utility, to buy more wind power in order to meet the growing electricity demand in the state.  In a letter to the PUC, I argued that by using more wind power, the state can increase its energy supply, help consumers save money on their monthly electric bills, and improve the environment.

If we can take any lesson from this current gas shortage, it is that it is dangerous to rely too heavily on one energy source. We must diversify our energy mix to include clean energy sources in order to plan for the future. The PUC should do all it can to ensure Xcel takes the necessary steps to protect consumers, our economy, and the environment.

Currently, the PUC is reviewing Xcel's five-year plan for meeting the state's energy demands by purchasing more power from seven natural gas power plants.  With natural gas prices at an all time high, the utility should consider more alternative energy sources, such as wind-generated power. Wind is an excellent source of clean energy. But beyond this major benefit, wind energy is now becoming cost-competitive with natural gas. Wind power currently costs less than gas—3 to 3.5 cents a kilowatt hour compared with new natural gas-fired plants at 5 cents a kilowatt hour. This price difference can translate into real savings for consumers.

Wind energy is currently the fastest-growing energy technology in the world, and demand for it is increasing. Last year, students at the University of Colorado at Boulder voted to pay $1 per semester for four years to buy wind power equivalent to 25 percent of the electrical needs of the major campus buildings. Xcel's Ponnequin wind farm already produces more than 20 megawatts of energy, and there is a waiting list of customers ready to purchase more power as the wind farm is expanded. Colorado is also home to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, which has a world-renowned wind research facility.

Our energy policy should encompass renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies as a way to increase the reliability of our energy supply, reduce dependence on imported supplies, and improve our environment.