VOLUME 35 | ISSUE 50
WEEK OF DECEMBER 14, 2023
GLOWING MEMORIES
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What is the reason for power cost increases? BY MARK JAFFE THE COLORADO SUN
grade level by third grade, and later on are more likely to fail classes and drop out of school. “Attendance matters and being engaged in learning matters,” said Johann Liljengren, director of dropout prevention and student reengagement at the Colorado Department of Education. Schools also stress attendance when Count Day comes up in October. Students must be enrolled and present in school during the window, so they can be counted and so the school receives state money for that student. So, how many missed school days are too many?
Bill Levis has tracked the ups and downs of utility bills for the past 14 years, first as director of the state Office of Consumer Counsel and then as a consultant for AARP, which represents retirees and older citizens. And when it comes to electricity bills, especially from the state’s largest provider Xcel Energy, the trend has gone in only one direction — up. Since 2019 the average monthly residential bill, for 600 kilowatt-hours of electricity, has risen 38% to $92.12, based on company figures. Utility bills are one of the biggest regular dings to any household’s budget, and with every Xcel announcement, the High Cost of Colorado marches upward. “We know it is going to go even higher as we go to renewables and they phase out coal-fired plants,” said Levis, whose office was the predecessor to the Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate. Electricity bills aren’t subject solely to the same market forces as food, or even rent. There are a host of things that go into rising electricity bills from the price of natural gas to run turbines to the cost of building new power stations and transmission lines to a raft of state mandated clean energy programs. And let’s not forget, in addition to all those requirements Xcel Energy is also a business in search of a profit, which means there are shareholder and bondholder expectations to be met. The rates customers pay are set by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission based on the investments Xcel Energy makes to run its grid and meet demand. Xcel Energy gets to recover its investment plus a return set by the PUC. It is growing these investments, the so-called rate base, that raises bills and fuels profits and shareholder dividends. When Xcel Energy built the coal-fired Comanche 3 power plant for $1 billion, customers paid for it. Customers will pay for the $1.7 billion Power Pathway transmission line being built. Customers will also pay nearly $1 billion closing three coal-fired plants, most of it for the unamortized part of Comanche 3 which has suffered chronic breakdowns since it opened in 2010. “It is never the energy company that ends up paying for mistakes, such as Comanche 3,” Levis said. “The frustration consumers have is that the energy company has no downside.”
SEE MISSED DAYS, P7
SEE POWER, P12
Megan Noltan and Calvin, 5, of Lochbuie, share a selfie with Brighton’s Founders Plaza Christmas tree as the backdrop Dec. 2. The city’s tree lighting ceremonies featured carolers, food and plenty of cheer. PHOTO BY SCOTT TAYLOR
• Vestas to lay off 200 employees •27J Schools moves online-only Dec. 1
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BUSINESS LOCAL
How many missed days of school are too many?
BY YESENIA ROBLES CHALKBEAT COLORADO
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LOCAL OBITUARIES LEGALS CLASSIFIED
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
You might have seen recent headlines about the growing number of kids missing school. In Colorado, just this fall, state officials said almost a third of students are chronically absent. The number has gone up significantly since the pandemic and schools are struggling to figure out how to get kids to return to classes. Kids might miss school for a number of reasons, including for work, an illness, a lack of transportation, or to care for younger siblings. Absences also go up near the holidays as families go on vacation and figure a few
missed school days can’t hurt. But, regardless of the reason, research shows consistently missing school can affect a child’s learning. Missed days can add up more quickly than you think. Here’s what you should know: What’s the big deal? Why is missing school such a problem? When kids miss school, they miss out on learning opportunities. Just a couple of missed days might mean a child can fall behind on several topics or lessons, and sometimes, there isn’t a good way for them to easily catch up. Research shows that students who miss a lot of school are more likely to not be able to read on
BRIEFS: PAGE 2 | OBITUARIES: PAGE 4 | CLASSIFIEDS: PAGE 8 | LEGAL: PAGE 10
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CHRISTMAS SHOCKING
Commerce City diner staff gets a December surprise P4