Press Release: Gov. Ritter Praises Solar Fee Withdrawal
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OFFICE OF GOV. BILL RITTER, JR.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2009
CONTACTS:
Todd Hartman, 303.866.2262, todd.hartman@state.co.us
Evan Dreyer, 720.350.8370, evan.dreyer@state.co.us
GOV. RITTER PRAISES XCEL FOR WITHDRAWING SOLAR FEE PROPOSAL
Gov. Bill Ritter congratulated Xcel Energy today for withdrawing its proposal to impose a surcharge on solar customers, saying it would have marked a step backward for Colorado's New Energy Economy and threatened jobs in the solar industry.
Gov. Ritter emphasized that Xcel has been a strong partner in Colorado's New Energy Economy. The utility has worked quickly to reach renewable energy goals and helped drive investments in residential solar and commercial wind farms in the state.
But in this particular case, Gov. Ritter believed the surcharge would have created a disincentive for solar investments that could have stifled job growth, inhibited future economic development and penalized those voluntarily investing in clean energy. The Governor's Energy Office began discussing an alternative approach with Xcel over the past few days.
"I commend Xcel for reconsidering this proposal," Gov. Ritter said. "We appreciate Xcel's concerns about the cost of distributing power and maintaining the electric grid, and we will work with Xcel to study these issues moving forward. The New Energy Economy has become a key bright spot in the state's overall economy. We must do all we can to encourage growth as we lead Colorado toward a new energy future."
The Governor's Energy Office acknowledged Xcel's concerns about the need to recoup the costs of building transmission carrying electricity to and from its customers. But there are major benefits to the electric grid from distributed renewable energy systems. Those benefits include reducing the need to build new generation and transmission and easing the pressure on conventional power plants and their "peak loads" on hot summer days.
In response to Xcel's concerns, the GEO plans to initiate a comprehensive analysis of the costs and benefits of "distributed generation," such as rooftop solar systems installed across a wide area, so that the Public Utilities Commission can make an informed decision on the costs and benefits of distributed generation.