Call Center Threatens to Leave if Blackouts Continue

Englewood, Colo., Call Center Threatens to Leave if Blackouts Continue

By Eric Hübler, The Denver Post -- Mar. 18

The lights have gone out at American President Line's customer-service center in Englewood twice this month, and if it keeps happening, Colorado can say goodbye to 250 jobs, the center's controller told a hearing on Xcel Energy's reliability Wednesday.

"We are looking at other locations for doing business," Joe Tai told the Public Utilities Commission, which is evaluating an improvement plan that Xcel submitted last month. The commission will decide this spring whether Xcel needs an independent auditor.

Xcel opposes an audit.

Tai said the California-based shipper moved its call center to Colorado in 1993 because of the area's high quality of life and low costs. But blackouts in the south metro area have become burdensome as well as costly. Tai said each powerless hour costs the shipper $75,000 to $80,000 and destroys its ability to manage cargo in ports worldwide.

The center had five outages in 2003, Tai said. Most were 4 to 6 hours, and one lasted 8 hours. The center may add a $375,000 backup system, but officials at the company's headquarters in Oakland have hired a real-estate agent to scout a possible move, he said.

Also testifying was Betty Ann Habig, council member for Centennial's Ward 1, which was hit hard last year.

The area has had blackouts since 1990 but it got out of hand in 1998, she said. "It's not getting better, it's getting worse," she said.

Habig said Xcel's plan is good, but she wants the commission to appoint an auditor to check in every few years to make sure improvements continue.

In its action plan, Xcel promised to upgrade its customer service, aggressively repair equipment, and even to step up tree-trimming.

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