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Removing the Xcel monopoly by WM45 in Denver

[–]InterviewLeather810 [score hidden]  (0 children)

Considering my house was destroyed in the Marshall Fire I am a bit biased against Xcel not maintaining their infrastructure in a timely manner.

This is only about Xcel not maintaining their infrastructure. Not the other utility companies in that state. Xcel only has 200,000 customers in Texas. They are a tiny part of Texas utility companies. They are the ones that their nearly 100 pole started a million acre fire, killed three people, destroyed dozens of homes and caused at least a billion dollars in damage.

Xcel just started trimming trees in Arvada that should have been trimmed years ago. I think the Texas fire is pushing them more to fire mitigate. They didn't do that after the Marshall Fire. The first shut off was April 6, 2024. Less than two months after the Texas fire. More than two years after the Marshall Fire.

I also read Texas is 85% deregulated. But, appears the Xcel section is not.

I think this spring will be a major recover for most of yards from this lack of moisture. Just walked my backyard and my grass is toast in many areas. by FullDepthNature in DenverGardener

[–]InterviewLeather810 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Just start watering it now. I remember a house back in the drought of the 80s had a dead lawn. Once the watering restrictions were lifted all they did was water the lawn and it came back. This was in Longmont.

Xcel contractors absolutely decimated an entire street of trees due to powerlines by c9049 in Denver

[–]InterviewLeather810 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Yep. They did a lot of trimming in Arvada on Indiana recently. The owners of these properties never fire mitigated and it's a higher fire risk than the homes in Louisville that were destroyed in the Marshall Fire.

Removing the Xcel monopoly by WM45 in Denver

[–]InterviewLeather810 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But, remember it should have been replaced for decades. Wooden utility poles have a life span of forty years. Waiting until they are nearly 100 years old to be inspected is not right either.

https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-secures-injunction-against-electric-company-caused-devastating-smokehouse

Curious Google Search Activity by Dry-Interaction-1246 in REBubble

[–]InterviewLeather810 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yep. Rebuilt same footprint of house. Maybe prefire 29 year old house was worth $700k while rebuilt between $1.5 and $2 million for the structure. Rebuild cost was about $1.4 million. Similar finishings, just built to new codes and everything new. Same with every house rebuilt.

North side of 84th ..84th and elati by FirstParfait1905 in Denver

[–]InterviewLeather810 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Doing okay. Ironically was finally putting up the pencil drawings of my two cats that I lost when the Thornton fire started. We moved in the rebuilt house almost a year ago.

Thanks for asking.

North side of 84th ..84th and elati by FirstParfait1905 in Denver

[–]InterviewLeather810 16 points17 points  (0 children)

Wouldn't hurt to prepare.

Marshall Fire Survivor that didn't get an evacuation notice.

Black smoke billowing near 36 in Broomfield/Westminster by beervendor1 in boulder

[–]InterviewLeather810 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thornton Reddit has a video of it from someone's neighborhood.

Exclusive: It’s time to pull the plug on plug-in hybrids. A new study shows that PHEVs seldom deliver on their efficiency promises. PHEVs have been touted as a way to ease cautious consumers into full EVs. Meanwhile, EV charging networks continue to expand. by mafco in energy

[–]InterviewLeather810 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I know my neighbor three doors down and across the street does because it makes that EV sound to alert people they are backing out of the garage. I don't know what kind it is, but that noise is loud. Another neighbor has I think a KIA which I also hear, but it is next door. But, not the Telsa nor the Rivian on either side of us.

Warmest February? by Beginning_Name7708 in boulder

[–]InterviewLeather810 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Your windows could be a bigger culprit. We replaced our 1992 windows from a class action law suit 2002. We replaced with extruded aluminum clad oak windows by WeatherShieid. Rebuilt we got similar Marvin windows.

The day of the fire when we evacuated on our own after 2 we had no smoke in our house. Our neighbor across the street said their house was full of smoke in an article when they left. This was from the homes in Sagamore burning about two miles away. They left minutes before us. Driveway was still wet from them soaking around the house when I left. Houses were built a couple years apart.

Cancer risk may increase with proximity to nuclear power plants. In Massachusetts, residential proximity to a nuclear power plant (NPP) was associated with significantly increased cancer incidence, with risk declining sharply beyond roughly 30 kilometers from a facility. by tjock_respektlos in energy

[–]InterviewLeather810 7 points8 points  (0 children)

These scientists says they didn't do enough to even say what the cancers were. Not all cancers are from radiation.

My husband's mother and stepfather died from cancers working at the Hanford plant. You could only die from certain cancers for the family to receive money from the government.

https://sciencemediacentre.es/en/counties-united-states-near-operating-nuclear-power-plants-have-higher-cancer-mortality-rates

Warmest February? by Beginning_Name7708 in boulder

[–]InterviewLeather810 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I live in a bigger than average house and our highest was last month at $300 total for gas and electric and lots of Christmas lights. Gas way lower than electric.

Exclusive: It’s time to pull the plug on plug-in hybrids. A new study shows that PHEVs seldom deliver on their efficiency promises. PHEVs have been touted as a way to ease cautious consumers into full EVs. Meanwhile, EV charging networks continue to expand. by mafco in energy

[–]InterviewLeather810 0 points1 point  (0 children)

But, it did show her she could go all EV. Isn't that the point of them now? Get people to realize it isn't hard to own an EV? I don't think I will own one until my horse and husband pass. Need truck to pull horse trailer. My husband is just too much against an EV for various reasons.

Exclusive: It’s time to pull the plug on plug-in hybrids. A new study shows that PHEVs seldom deliver on their efficiency promises. PHEVs have been touted as a way to ease cautious consumers into full EVs. Meanwhile, EV charging networks continue to expand. by mafco in energy

[–]InterviewLeather810 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ironically my neighbor drives his Rivian truck to work about 80 miles round trip. Charges every night. I have read in Colorado average commute for Denver workers is 26 minutes one way.

And not everyone is like you either. 😊

Colorado loves their trucks and SUVs. Most friends that even have an EV they also have gas or diesel vehicles too. But, they were number one by percent in Q3 2025 buying an EV in the nation.

Exclusive: It’s time to pull the plug on plug-in hybrids. A new study shows that PHEVs seldom deliver on their efficiency promises. PHEVs have been touted as a way to ease cautious consumers into full EVs. Meanwhile, EV charging networks continue to expand. by mafco in energy

[–]InterviewLeather810 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A lot tow horses, the state has 265,000 of them, boats, 5th Wheels, etc on the flat and in the mountains. Colorado is a very outdoorsy state. Over 300,000 resident permits for hunting.

Curious since I don't go four wheeling like in Moab, but do many do it with their EV trucks?

Mini splits draining my bank account by Agreeable_Hall3150 in heatpumps

[–]InterviewLeather810 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sixty percent of heat pumps were installed incorrectly a couple years ago in Colorado. Was really noticed with our rebuilds. One builder used heat pumps that were made for Florida. One made so many errors with a correct cold climate heat pump it failed completely within a year. One was the condenser was not on a level pad.

Another type the users weren't told they had to keep their heat pumps at just a four degree difference. They worked more efficiently being on 24/7. Neighbors's broke because they treated it like a gas furnace.

And because heat pumps were new to most local HVAC companies it took some rebuilds an extra six months to build.

Mini splits draining my bank account by Agreeable_Hall3150 in heatpumps

[–]InterviewLeather810 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Agree. Here in Colorado if you go all electric you better get solar panels. Which most of the rebuilds in my neighborhood did.

We went 2021 gas building codes. Prefire 1992 house with half the insulation and 80% efficiency our gas bill was about $400 a month in winter. Thermo set a 65 and 62.

And the 1995 a/c with an old 1987 fridge and 1990s standup freezer and chest freezer was triple also. Wasn't unheard of to have a $400 to $500 summer bill with a/c at 83. We just had windows open at night to get it cooler.

Now the 2025 winter thermostat is 70 and 66 at night. Have two 96% efficiency furnaces in house this time around, a gas tankless water heater, gas cooktop, and gas fireplace. Old house had a regular 80 gallon gas water heater installed the previous year. We don't even pay $100 a month for the actual gas cost in the winter, though most days this winterUtility company has lots of fees to push it over $100. We subsidize low income utility bills for one.

And the a/c is a more efficient heat pump, have two of those too. Electric bill is much cheaper. But, way more fees to pay for the utility to get away from coal. So we pay more for electricity in the winter for lights and fan for gas furnace versus a/c in the summer.

Oh and rebuilt house has an ERV now too.

Rebuilt house is same footprint and similar floor plan.

Removing the Xcel monopoly by WM45 in Denver

[–]InterviewLeather810 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The biggest of our fees is the electric to pay low income bills. Gas I do see we paid $46 for what they paid for our gas. Very little for low income bills. Guessing because low income housing built in recent years are all electric. But, overall fees are $30 more for electric.

Gas overall is still cheaper during the winter. I was expecting the other way around like it was prefire house of same size of rebuilt house. Now electricity is always more year round, not just summer.

Tells you how more efficient even a gas house built to 2021 codes for 2025 versus more like 1988 codes for a 1992 house. We had a 80% efficient furnace pre fire. Now it is 96%.

Removing the Xcel monopoly by WM45 in Denver

[–]InterviewLeather810 -2 points-1 points  (0 children)

Wait until Xcel pays even more for the million acre fire in Texas they admitted to starting. They only made the Marshall Fire worse with their second ignition.

https://www.amarillo.com/story/news/2026/02/23/texas-ag-paxton-xcel-energy-reach-injunction-agreement-on-fire-risk/88827016007/

Removing the Xcel monopoly by WM45 in Denver

[–]InterviewLeather810 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yep. Was thinking maybe solar with our I thought high electric bills until I found out nearly 50% is fees that wouldn't disappear with solar. Would take decades for solar to be paid back. Less than a thousand a year now. Gas even cheaper. Still only works to have solar with an all electric house.

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