Boulder and Xcel review five-year energy partnership; council presses on wildfire risk, undergrounding and decarbonization progress

At a study session, Boulder city staff and leaders of Xcel Energy reviewed five years of the city's franchise and energy partnership and discussed wildfire mitigation, targeted undergrounding projects and progress toward local renewable and emissions targets.

City officials said the partnership, which took effect Jan. 1, 2021, includes a 20-year franchise with opt-out checkpoints at the five-, 10- and 15-year anniversaries. Council and staff framed the meeting as an update to inform whether the city needs additional analysis to decide whether to continue the franchise.

"Tonight's study session is an important opportunity to reflect on the city of Boulder's partnership with Xcel Energy as we marked 5 years since the franchise agreement was signed," City Manager Nuria Rivera Vandermeid said at the start of the presentation. Jonathan Cohen, director of the city's Climate Initiatives Department, told the council staff's goal was "to provide an update on the partnership activities, where we are today, looking at some opportunities for improvement, and again...look to the future state of the partnership to make sure we continue to serve the needs of Boulder residents, businesses, as well as Xcel."

City staff and Xcel officials reviewed the governance and program work that has flowed from the agreement. Carolyn Elam, senior manager overseeing the partnership for the city, outlined projects funded through the agreement's undergrounding program and other partnership initiatives. She said the city and Xcel have advanced multiple undergrounding projects timed to…