Energy bills have climbed
through the roof this year, leaving hundreds of thousands of Colorado's families
and businesses struggling to keep up. Reps. Betty Boyd and Mark Larson are sponsoring
legislation that would help bring those energy bills back down. The legislation
would direct Xcel and other investor-owned utility companies to offer energy
efficiency programs to all customers through 2020. Xcel's existing efficiency
programs face the threat of cancellation, despite their proven effectiveness.
"Energy efficiency
means spending less money to get the same electricity and heating service"
said Representative Boyd. "These types of programs are the fastest, cheapest
way to take a big bite out of your energy bill."
Howard Geller, director
of the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project (SWEEP), pointed out that Xcel and
other utilities already run similar energy efficiency programs in Minnesota,
Texas, Utah, and Montana, among other states. "For every dollar Xcel spends
on its energy efficiency programs in Minnesota, customers save over $5.00. If
they can do this in Minnesota (their home state), they can do it here as well."
SWEEP helped craft and pass energy efficiency legislation in Arizona last year.
While consumers clearly
benefit from being offered such services as cash incentives, technical assistance,
and free energy conservation products, the new legislation would make sure that
there was something in it for the utilities as well. "This legislation
saves consumers money, but it also guarantees that utilities will be compensated
for the efficiency services that they provide. This is a classic case of a win-win
situation for both the business and the customer", noted Boyd. Without
the legislation, there is little financial incentive for Xcel to offer energy
efficiency services.
Nicole Boojamra, an advocate
for consumer rights at the Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG),
added that "We fully support the continuation and expansion of energy efficiency
programs here in Colorado. They can save consumers at least $1 billion between
now and 2020. Representatives Boyd and Larson are offering a strong bipartisan
solution to a crisis that the state faces right now."
