Submitted by Leslie Glustrom

On February 8, 2011, the Colorado Public Utilities Commission published Decision C11-0139 withholding $16 million from Xcel until the utility is able to demonstrate a “coherent and valuable future” for the Smart Grid City (“SCG”) project in Boulder, Colorado.

Decision C11-0139 is attached below.

In particular, the PUC asked Xcel to demonstrate:

• A strategic plan for the use of the Smart Grid City investment
• A credible promise of consumer and utility benefits sufficient to justify the cost overruns
• The ability of customers to make practical use of the Smart Grid City on their side of the meter through in-home devices.
• (See paragraph 19, page 6 Decision C11-0139, Colorado PUC)

The Commission summarized its position on the Smart Grid City project saying:

In summary, this Commission believes that the Company needs to re-boot the SGC project and restore some of the promise this concept originally held. (Paragraph 23, page 7, Decision C11-0139, Colorado PUC).

Xcel has 20 days to contest the decision through the PUC appeal process.