Joint Senate Transportation & Energy and House Energy & Environment

Friday, January 30, 2026·3h 44m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Joint Senate Transportation & Energy and House Energy & Environment Committee convened an oversight hearing on Xcel Energy's December 17 and 19, 2025 Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events, questioning the company's decision-making, communications, compensation policies, and grid investment priorities. No legislation was acted upon, but the PUC stated a goal of proposed rulemaking by Q2 2026 and final rules by end of 2026.

Key Actions

·PSPS Overview – Xcel Energy's December 2025 Shutoff DecisionsNo Vote

+ 14 more actions

Controversies

Whether Xcel's PSPS communications were adequate, particularly for medically vulnerable customers

Rep. Jenny Willford stated 'I just flat out disagree' with Xcel's characterization of its communications as improved, describing a constituent on 24/7 oxygen with stage 4 cancer who was told by Xcel customer support to 'just go to the ER' and who later received a paper application for the wrong program that 'would not be rapidly considered.' Robert Kenney defended Xcel's outreach, citing 88 communication touch points, 151 critical medical customers notified 63 hours prior, and first communications shared December 14. PUC Director Rebecca White acknowledged communications 'ramped up, but it also created a lot of confusion' with contradictory text messages.

+ 4 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“He reached out to your company, I assume, the customer support line, and when he shared his need for oxygen, was told that if he had concerns, he should just go to the ER. And I want to put it on record that that's absolutely unacceptable.”
Rep. Jenny Willford — Willford was describing the experience of a constituent — a veteran with stage 4 cancer dependent on 24/7 oxygen — who contacted Xcel Energy during the December 2025 PSPS event and received guidance she characterized as wholly inadequate for a medically vulnerable customer.

+ 4 more quotes

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TranscriptPreview

Everyone, committee is called to order. Miss Falco, can you please take the roll? Senators and Representatives Basley. President Ball. Excused. Barone. Excused. Catlin. Excused. DeGraffen. Excused. He was here. He's excused for the moment. Excused. Garcia. Sander. Excused. Goldstein. Here. Jackson. Excused. Joseph. Excused. One step. Here. Oh, Jackson is here as well. Yeah. Jackson. Moica. Excused. Pascal. Here. Pelton. Present. Rootneau. Excused. Saw. Excused. Smith. Here. Sullivan. Here. Sullivan. Here. Just walked in the room. Velasco. Here. Wilford. Excused. Valdez. Excused. And Madam Chair? Present. Thank you, Ms. Falco. So today, as you all know, we are here to talk with XL and some of the local government and state government representatives who were involved in the planned power shutdowns. Really, really appreciate it. I know you guys have been through it, got a lot of questions so we appreciate you being here again to answer them in this public, public hearing. We think it's really important. I know many of us have received lots of communications from our constituents about issues and real concerns they had and wanted to provide another public forum for them to listen and perhaps to share their experiences. Definitely share their experiences…

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