energy
Robert Kenney: Drier weather, changing climate make Xcel’s wildfire plan for Colorado worth the investment
A changing climate, drier weather, and more frequent severe weather events mean growing wildfire risk. At Xcel Energy, the highest priority is and always will be public safety, and the company has been working hard to confront this threat.
Since 2020, Xcel has invested over $500 million in wildfire mitigation, and it has made considerable progress. We have a clear goal: that no catastrophic wildfire in Colorado is ever started by Xcel Energy assets. But the risk is ever-changing and there is no shortcut to resiliency.
This week, Xcel submitted a 2025-2027 Colorado Wildfire Mitigation Plan to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, building upon our efforts to date. The 2025-2027 plan integrates industry experience, incorporates evolving risk assessment methodologies, adds new technology, and expands the scope, pace, and scale of our work.