By Tricia Canonico

Last week, democracy won in Colorado — the kind of feel-good democracy where a bunch of regular people show up and make our voices heard. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission’s (PUC) listened to the will of the people during a recent rulemaking to set post-2030 clean heat targets. As a result, Xcel and other for-profit gas utilities must make plans to reduce greenhouse gas pollution from the state’s gas distribution system by 41% by 2035. When our community comes together to stand up for affordability and the environment, not even a big corporation like Xcel Energy can drown out our words.

This win comes as a breath of fresh air, pun intended, at a time when for-profit utilities are racing to build as much gas infrastructure as possible. According to its most recent gas system plans filed at the PUC, Xcel continues to expand its expensive natural gas infrastructure to new buildings every day. Xcel hooked up more than 14,000 new gas customers in 2024 and is on pace for similar growth in 2025. 

Coloradans’ ever-growing energy bills pay for this pricey gas system expansion and the high cost of gas energy. Expensive gas bills for us mean profit for Xcel. In fact, Colorado gas bills just increased in fall 2024 — the same year Xcel reported a record-breaking $870 million in profit from its Colorado gas system. 

Thankfully, last week the PUC listened to the “vast majority” of public comments that supported ambitious clean-heat targets. There were weak proposals on the table, supported by Xcel Energy. Even the Colorado Energy Office and the Air Pollution Control Division proposed only a 31% carbon pollution reduction goal. So, when the PUC approved the 41% goal, they put the people of Colorado first.

As a result, we will see more incentive programs to help Coloradans insulate our homes and transition to cost-effective electric appliances. Xcel may have to rethink the status quo of automatically hooking up new buildings to gas. Less money will come out of Coloradans’ pockets to pay Xcel and its shareholders for expensive new gas infrastructure. And, finally, the state’s largest utility will have to do its part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions between now and 2050.

But the fight is not over. Clean-heat targets alone won’t protect Coloradans from pollution and high energy bills. We must continue to show up to make sure Xcel is held accountable to these state-mandated targets while prioritizing affordability. Earlier this year, Xcel filed a “Gas Infrastructure Plan” proposal in front of the PUC projected to cost Coloradans $2.85 billion for new gas infrastructure from 2025 through 2029. The company plans to significantly expand its gas services, in conflict with its 2030 carbon pollution reduction goals. Next year, Xcel will file plans to show its progress toward meeting 2030 carbon pollution reduction targets. Coloradans must continue to show up at PUC proceedings like these to advocate for the clean, affordable energy we want in our communities.

For now, as a resident and city councilmember in Fort Collins, as well as a gas customer of Xcel Energy, I’m proud to see state leaders listening to the will of the people. I applaud the PUC’s approved 2035 clean-heat target, which will continue to push our utility in the right direction. It’s a good reminder no matter how big the opposition may be, Coloradan’s voices ring out loud and clear about the things that matter to us. If Xcel takes meaningful action to achieve these required targets, Colorado will get to run on cleaner heat sooner, which is just as good for our health and our climate as it is for our energy bills.

Tricia Canonico lives in Fort Collins where she is a city councilmember.