As the sweltering, summer sun beams down on the colorful state of Colorado, temperatures have reached an all-time high. To counter record-breaking heat in all four corners of our state, Coloradoans are turning to swimming pools and cooling centers, venturing up to the tepid Rocky Mountain peaks and blasting ice-cold air conditioners in search of a reprieve.

While residents scramble to stay cool, the state’s leading investor-owned utility company is working overtime to ensure that costs are controlled, power grids are prepared and the environment is protected, with sustainable solutions for long-term energy needs.

Leading the charge to keep Colorado comfortable throughout every season is longtime energy and public policy professional, Xcel Energy President Robert Kenney.

Despite the corporation serving Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas and Wisconsin, the Public Service Company of Colorado – known as Xcel Energy Colorado (Xcel) – is focused on energy needs right here in the Centennial State. It is the largest provider of electricity and natural gas in the Denver Metro area and serves over 1.5 million customers.

For Kenney and his team of industry leading professionals, the creation of a cleaner future is a top priority.

A Balanced Background

After graduating from Hampton University with a bachelor’s degree in political science, Kenney returned to his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. He attended the St. Louis University of Law, eventually earning a Juris Doctor degree. After law school, he worked in the Missouri Attorney General’s office, doing consumer protection work before entering a private practice, where he represented corporations in commercial and business litigation as a partner at Polsinelli, Shalton, Flanigan, Suelthaus PC.

He returned to the Attorney General’s office after seven years, and was appointed to the Missouri Public Utilities Commission by his prior boss and former Attorney General, Missouri Governor Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon.

“He had followed my career representing businesses and commercial disputes, and that’s the kind of balance he wanted to see in a public utility commissioner,” Kenney recalls.

Kenney was familiar with the energy industry from his work in consumer protection and corporate litigation. Joining the commission sparked a new passion for law and public policy when he discovered that his work could be a tremendous benefit to the people of Missouri.

After his time on the commission, he relocated to California and was hired as the senior vice president of regulatory and external affairs at Pacific Gas & Electric Co. (PG&E) in San Francisco.

In June 2022, he took the helm at Xcel, where 30 years of executive management, strategic guidance, governmental affairs, community relations, public utility and public policy development and implementation experience are guiding the corporation into a new era of energy efficiency.

Xcel’s Commitment to Clean Energy

“We were one of the first utility companies to make really bold climate commitments across the three major sectors that implicate climate change,” Kenney says, praising Xcel for its innovative approach to sustainability.

The company’s goals for reducing greenhouse gas emissions include electricity, heating and transportation. Plans to reduce carbon emissions 80% by 2030 are underway, with an estimated 100% carbon-free electricity delivery by 2050.

“We’re well on track,” Kenney says proudly. “We are already at 42%, and we will be deploying more renewable energy, so we expect to be at 80% by 2030, which will also reduce carbon emission 80% from 2005 levels. We’ve already (as of the end of 2023) reduced our carbon emissions here by 52%.”

Reducing Greenhouse Gases

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, most of the nation’s electricity was generated by natural gas, renewable sources, coal and nuclear energy as of 2022. In 2001, coal consumption accounted for 51% of electricity generation, but nationwide decarbonization efforts have greatly reduced its use. In 2023, coal-generated energy accounted for only 9%.

Burning coal releases toxic pollutants and heavy metals such as sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, mercury and lead into the air, resulting in acid rain, smog and increased respiratory issues. The plants that process coal require an enormous amount of water, while also polluting nearby water sources with dangerous levels of particulate matter.

“We have committed to retiring all of our remaining coal plants by 2030,” says Kenney. “The benefits to the air and to our environment by eliminating coal as a generating source will have significant benefits, particularly for communities that are located close to the plants.”

While pledging to accelerate the closure of the state’s final coal plant, “Comanche 3,” in Pueblo, he says that Xcel is focused on creating more renewable energy sources through wind and solar energy paired with storage. Overall, Xcel has pledged to add 10,000 megawatts of new wind and solar power to its service areas within the next decade.

The increased use of renewable energy will have a major environmental impact, while reducing our reliance on natural gas, which burns cleaner than coal but still emits carbon dioxide, methane and other pollutants.

EV for Everyone

In addition to lowering carbon emissions from the state’s electric and natural gas systems, Xcel is implementing innovative approaches to transportation electrification.

“We want to facilitate and catalyze the infrastructure that is going to be necessary so that one in five vehicles in our service territory would be a zero-emitting vehicle,” says Kenney, while discussing the increased use of electric vehicles (EV).

“We offer up to $5,000 in EV rebates for income-qualified customers. Customers can get $3,000 off of a used vehicle, or $5,500 off of a new vehicle when they buy or lease. We’re also working to make sure that people have the infrastructure in their homes to be able to charge, so we’re offering a program called EV Accelerated Home. For about $13 a month, we will install the Level-2 fast charger in your home. This allows customers to save time and save money on the upfront cost of installing a fast charger.”

Xcel is also offering support for commercial fleets, with EV charging rebates to help workplaces with project costs. The company’s goal is to get more electric vehicles on the road to support its commitment to cleaner air, cleaner water and a cleaner environment for all of Colorado’s residents.

Rebounding from Natural Disasters & High Rates

On Dec. 30, 2021, two grass fires were ignited outside of Superior, and in less than an hour the fires were fanned into roaring flames by wind gusts up to 100mph. The event, which made history as the most expensive wildfire in Colorado history, was the result of a “mountain wave” windstorm, a phenomenon that occurs regularly along the Rocky Mountain foothills according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The Marshall Fire forced the evacuation of 50,000 residents of Boulder and Superior, destroying over 1,000 homes and seven commercial buildings, and causing over $2 billion in property damage. Two years after the anniversary of the natural disaster, Xcel was slammed with nearly 300 lawsuits filed by homeowners, insurance companies, government agencies and retailers.

When an investigation identified loose utility wire as one of the culprits of the fire, Xcel was named as a defendant of the suits. However, the company denies any wrongdoing, arguing that the fire started 80 to 110 feet away from the power line.

Similar weather and energy related disasters have occurred throughout the country, prompting Xcel to develop a $1.9 billion wildfire mitigation plan with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.

The plan includes targeted programs, including a public safety power shutoff program to deactivate power lines in times of high risk, and the subsequent re-energization of power lines in ways that reduce the potential for wildfires. It also includes enhanced evaluation of high-threat areas, equipment upgrades and underground power lines. If approved, residential bills are expected to increase with bi-annual rate adjustments, reaching 9.56% by the end of 2027.

During a windstorm earlier this year, thousands of customers lost power when Xcel preemptively shut off electricity in an attempt to prevent disaster. The effort was successful in keeping communities safe, though it garnered widespread criticism of the company. Customers complained about everything from a lack of control to the cost of service.

“I think it’s incumbent upon us to talk to our customers and our communities to let them know what we’re doing and why we’re doing it, and to help them understand the value that they’re receiving for the dollars they entrust us with,” responds Kenney. “We strive to be good stewards of our customer’s dollars, so we want to make sure that we’re letting our customers know what we’re doing with their dollars.”

Conservation and Cost Savings

While Xcel temporarily shut off power in an attempt to save lives, the utility company is working to help save customers money with suggestions that will conserve energy and cut costs.

“We are keeping customers’ bills as low as possible. In 2023, our average residential customer’s monthly bill was 28% below the national average,” Kenney says, with assurances that even in the midst of adding renewable energy sources, Xcel is doing everything in its power to keep rates as low as possible.

“We have worked to make sure that we have energy assistance programs available for income-qualified customers. In 2023, across all eight of our states, we had 188,000 customers who received $187 million in energy affordability assistance. In Colorado, 79,800 customers received $90 million.”

He says that by working with state and local governmental agencies, Energy Outreach Colorado and the Colorado Energy Office, Xcel is striving to reach as many customers as possible.

“We also have free weatherization and energy efficiency programs,” he points out, encouraging customers to lower their bills by conducting an energy audit and learning how to efficiently utilize energy within their homes with special light bulbs, thermostats, water heaters and insulation.

In recent years, Xcel launched a system meant to improve residential conservation, installing smart meters that provide simplified billing data. The company also provides a voluntary AC Rewards program that allows home thermostats to be overridden in the event of energy emergencies and high usage rates.

As city leaders scramble to provide more affordable housing solutions, Xcel is committed to alleviating the cost of heating and cooling, working closely with developers to provide resources for energy efficiency in new homes.

Community Centered Commitment

“One of the things that really excites me about being a part of this company in particular, is our commitment to giving back to our communities. I personally believe in the idea that doing well and doing good can happen simultaneously. I think it’s an obligation of corporations to be a part of the fabric of the communities they serve and to contribute to economic vitality,” Kenney says.

The Xcel Energy Foundation invests in STEM career pathways, environmental sustainability and community vitality, providing $1.3 million in grants to nonprofits throughout the state in 2023. Its employees sit on various nonprofit boards and engage in thousands of volunteer hours throughout the year.

“My mother was a public school teacher, and always believed in the benefit of arts as a contributor to higher reading and math scores,” says the husband and father, crediting his mother for his passionate support of education and arts programs. 

Alluding to his upcoming debut on the community stage, he smiles, “I’m a very big supporter of Cleo Parker Robinson Dance.” On Saturday, Aug. 10, the energy aficionado will participate as a dancing star in Cleo Parker Robinson Dance’s Dancing with the Denver Stars Gala event in support of the organization’s arts-in-wellness program.

Colorado’s Cleaner Future

During his extensive career, Kenney has served on the boards of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), the Organization of MISO States (OMS), the Silicon Valley Leadership Group and the Museum of the African Diaspora (MoAD) in San Francisco. He has also served as director of the National Utilities Diversity Council, and is a member of the American Association for Blacks in Energy.

Here in Denver, he shows his commitment to his new home through executive leadership on the board of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce.

He is excited about impending advancements within the energy space, and believes that there are wonderful opportunities for women and people of color to explore energy careers from both STEM and public policy perspectives.

When it comes to protecting Colorado’s precious resources, Kenney remains steadfast in his efforts to make sure that Xcel continues to provide clean, reliable and affordable energy to all who call Colorado home.

Editor’s Note: To learn more about Xcel Energy’s programs and services, visit www.xcelenergy.com.

Watch Robert Kenney on the latest episode of Spectrum Talk with Ruby as he shares exciting insights into Xcel Energy’s plans for achieving renewable energy goals, their strategies for saving you money, and their dedication to environmental protection.