Colorado Springs Utilities says no planned blackouts this summer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) - Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) held a press conference Tuesday amid an early start to the summer season.

Despite intentional blackouts earlier this year on the Xcel Energy grid due to high winds, CSU said they have no plans for rolling blackouts.

"While it's always a possibility, we planned significantly as a region and as an entity to prevent that [blackouts] from happening," Alex Baird, general manager of fuels and purchase power at Colorado Springs Utilities said.

Baird said their grid has already felt the impact of a hot summer, so far their highest usage day was in the middle of June this year.

As the temperatures rise further into July and August, Baird points to their diverse energy portfolio - specifically natural gas capabilities at the Martin Drake Power Plant that was installed in May of 2023.

On the consumer side, CSU offers a rebate program to help shave off megawatts during peak energy hours called the Peak Energy Rewards program. All you need to qualify for the program is a thermostat that can be controlled over wifi.

"Over the hottest times of the afternoon, we raise the temperature on their thermostat a couple of degrees, and that itself, over the peak shaves a couple of megawatts off, which is quite valuable to the whole ratepayers over the long term," Baird said.

According to CSU's website, at most your thermostat will be raised four degrees for no longer than four hours.

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