Council Against Energy Proposal ; Most Members Oppose Amendment 37 in Poll

Sep 24 - Gazette, The; Colorado Springs, Colo.

A majority of Colorado Springs City Council members indicated Wednesday they oppose a November ballot measure that would require larger utilities to produce 10 percent of their power from renewable energy sources by 2015.

The informal poll came after a day in which the council, acting as the Utility Board, heard pro and con arguments about Amendment 37, which would require the state's seven largest utilities to use such renewable energy sources as wind, solar, hydro and biomass to produce electricity.

Eight of the council members opposed the ballot issue, with Vice Mayor Richard Skorman the only member expressing support -- although with some reservations. Councilman Larry Small had to leave for another meeting before the vote was taken.

The council is expected to take a formal vote Tuesday on a resolution opposing the amendment.

The vote came after various speakers painted sharply different pictures about what the amendment would do and what it would cost.

Proponents such as Justin Dawe of Coloradans for Clean Energy, the group that sponsored the ballot issue, said increasing the use of renewable energy would reduce air pollution, protect utility customers from fluctuations in the cost of fossil fuels and could lower utility bills. In the worst case, he said, any rise in residential utility bills from adding renewables would be capped at 50 cents a month, with businesses seeing an equivalent percentage rise in their bills.

But Bill Schroeder, a former state senator now with the Intermountain Rural Electric Association, said the largest utility in the state, Xcel Energy, has estimated the amendment would cost its customers $580 million to $1.5 billion. He said because the amendment does not cap utility increases for businesses, they would bear most of the cost of developing renewable energy sources.

Wayne Vanderschuere, resource supply manager for Colorado Springs Utilities, presented an analysis that suggested monthly electric rates for both small and large commercial businesses would have to be 10 percent higher by 2015 to pay for more expensive renewable energy.

He said a plan now being developed by the city-owned utility shows a mix of conservation and about half the renewable energy called for in the amendment would keep rates lower while reducing pollution by a similar amount.

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