Improve Services and Reliability

I grew up in northern and central Europe and had never experienced a power outage until I moved to Colorado.

The frequencies of power outages are staggering. They happen in various areas and various states.

There is no reliability on the services the power companies are supposed to provide. There is no accountability when they fail in this area. At the same time, it is my understanding that they are having big gains from their business. The customers don't see any improvement in the services or any refunds from the failed services.

Impact:

- Customers need to make sure that they have updated their houses and business so that they are able to function to somewhat the same level as in the early 1900s, prior to when electricity became a more common commodity. (Fireplaces which can keep buildings warm, garage-door openers which can open and close without power in case of an emergency, generators which provide electricity to necessary medical equipment and electricity to fridge and freezer for medications in need of those temperatures).

- Fires have started due to downed power-lines. People, pets and livestock as well as other animals, have unnecessarily perished. Personal property has been damaged or vanished. Firefighters have been in peril and a lot of poisonous fumes have been released.

- Power-outages have been responsible for frozen pipes, which have eventually lead to water damage to properties.

- Businesses have suffered both in at-home offices as well as in office-buildings and other buildings.

- Leaving the home for any amount of time, especially in the winter-time, brings anxieties as the owners never know if there will be a power-outage and a mess greeting them on their return.

There are many more aspects to this.

These are things people in northern and central Europe don't have to deal with. Their power-lines are underground. What I often hear here, is that if there is a problem, it is more difficult to deal with if the power is underground. The thing is, they don't have problems. There are no power-outages.

I would like to see the power-companies bring their customers into the 21st century. If they feel that is beyond their capabilities, at least to the 20th century.

If the power-companies cannot provide, we can ask other companies (not only US companies) to step in and upgrade the systems. The customers deserve nothing else.

If nothing is learned from this, the companies should at least reimburse all customers what has been paid on the bills in the last two or three months. This should become an ongoing practice.

Thank you!