$XEL

Xcel Energy’s Comanche 3 coal plant near Pueblo has been offline for a year after turbine damage, and Xcel must submit a plan to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission on how repair and power-gap costs will be paid, potentially via rate increases. CoPIRG argues customers shouldn’t bear costs, citing 700+ unplanned shutdown days (2010-2021). Xcel says return-to-service was delayed by supply-chain issues and will update the PUC Aug. 22.

Minnesota’s Public Utilities Commission approved Xcel Energy’s Integrated Distribution Plan, adding mandates to improve flexible DER interconnection, update net-load forecasting, and file a virtual power plant pilot by March 1, 2027. The order also requires filings through end-2026, plus workshops, a wildfire mitigation plan, and an independent audit of technical standards.

Xcel Energy asked Colorado regulators for a $225 million rate increase, which the Public Utilities Commission reduced to $166 million. Xcel said the plan would fund grid and generation upgrades, including replacing thousands of poles and transformers and adding 775 MW of generation. A final PUC decision is due Aug. 17, with Xcel able to appeal. Customers oppose any hike.

Xcel Energy said its subsidiary Southwestern Public Service Company filed a Wildfire Mitigation Plan with the Texas PUC to reduce wildfire risk in the Texas Panhandle. The plan includes weather stations, AI detection cameras, drone inspections, vegetation management, and grid upgrades. Approval is pending, with a decision expected within 180 days. Xcel is tied to the 2024 Smokehouse Creek Fire; Texas AG Ken Paxton sued in 2025.

Xcel Energy said it completed Phase 3 of Sherco Solar in Becker, Minnesota, now the largest solar facility in the state. The first three phases bring 710 MW of capacity using 1.7 million panels. A Phase 4 is proposed to reach 910 MW by 2029, with about 300 union construction jobs and $90 million in local benefits, according to Xcel.

Excelerate Energy said in its Aug 5 Q2 report it has started dredging for Iraq’s first LNG import terminal, advancing an FSRU at Port of Khor Al Zubair. Engineering and procurement are nearly complete. The project is budgeted at $450 million. A five-year LNG supply and regasification deal with Iraq’s Ministry of Electricity subsidiary starts Oct 2025, with 250 MMscf/d minimum and 500 MMscf/d capacity.

Xcel Energy (NasdaqGS: XEL) elected Peter Carter, president of Delta Air Lines, to its board as an independent director. The company said his experience will add perspectives on operations, customer service and capital planning. The article notes XEL’s 2026 EPS guidance of $4.04 to $4.16 and a $0.5925 quarterly dividend.

Xcel Energy said it has started construction on the 185-mile Minnesota Energy Connection transmission line and the 420 MW Lyon County Generating Station in southwest Minnesota. The line is designed to connect up to 4,000 MW of wind and solar to the Sherco hub, while the gas peaker supports reliability. Completion is expected in 2028; the plant is projected to generate about $300 million in property tax revenue over its life.

Great River Energy, ITC Midwest and Xcel Energy are holding public open houses for PowerOn Midwest, a set of southern Minnesota transmission projects to add lines and connect toward South Dakota and Iowa. Otter Tail Power is working with Xcel on Brookings-area lines. The group cites 1% to 2% long-term demand growth; critics question impacts and data-center links. Earliest service is 2032, with Minnesota PUC approvals and route changes possible.

Xcel Energy, through its subsidiary Southwestern Public Service Company, filed a proposed wildfire mitigation plan with the Texas Public Utility Commission for the South Plains and Panhandle. The plan includes weather stations and AI cameras, plus drones and other field technology, along with upgrades to systems and equipment. The commission has 180 days to approve.