Frustrated in Golden

Coloradans have lived with high winds for over a century without "preventative" blackouts. The shutoffs on December 17th and 19th were not about safety; they were a calculated move to hold the public hostage while lobbying for total liability immunity.

In Golden, the winds on the 19th were mild—the afternoon was calm—yet thousands were left to suffer. We watched food rot and seniors sit in cold homes for a "crisis" that never materialized.

Our legislators consistently pass laws that make operations harder for small businesses; it is time they applied that same rigor to utility monopolies. We need a legislative mandate that prohibits power shutoffs unless there is an active fire in the immediate vicinity.

Stop allowing utilities to use our basic needs as a bargaining chip for their legal protection. Our community deserves reliability, not manufactured emergencies.