Locked into 6%: How Xcel's System Got My Heating All Wrong

Under Colorado Public Utilities Commission rules—specifically 4 CCR 723-3-3412(e)(I)(B)—the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP) explicitly mandates that electric-only accounts without electric heat cannot exceed 3% of gross household income, reserving the 6% cap solely for households using electricity as their primary heat source. My home utilizes gas-powered heating, and I pay that gas bill directly to my landlord rather than through an Xcel dual-fuel setup, making my electric account strictly a non-heating service under state regulations.

Despite this clear setup, my application was improperly processed at the maximum 6% rate in direct violation of 4 CCR 723-3-3412, acting as if I rely on Xcel for all-electric winter warming. That clerical misclassification unlawfully doubles my monthly utility payment, forcing me to provide lease terms and structural proof to cut through the bureaucracy and compel Xcel to adjust my payment down to the legally mandated 3% cap.

No food or safety because of Excel

It is 6:38 AM in the morning and we have not had power since the afternoon before. I spent $300 on groceries and that’s all I had for groceries and now my food is starting to spoil and excel does not care. They specifically make sure that they are protected from covering anybody’s damage damages.. They turned our power off so often even when there’s no obvious weather where I’m located we lose power so often and I’m in an apartment complex and I don’t have the ability to just start a generator. It’s absolutely disgusting What Excel is able…

Experience with Xcel in Johnstown

In my apartment, Johnstown CO, 4590 Trade St. Xcel energy has had outages for more than 50+ hours alone in 2026. Despite the increase in outages, the time of outages has also increased. Not only that, the monthly bill continues to increase. Customer service is minimal, as well as expected return of power updates. They might say power will return in one hour, but we may not have power for up to 12 hours. This has happened twice this year alone.