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#xcel

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Xcel said that it would shrink its original Minnesota request for a 9.6%, $59.03 million rate increase to a 7.5%, $46.31 million hike on bills. A settlement with state officials and others would result in an extra $4.20 per month on the bills of residential customers if utility regulators approve. startribune.com/xcel-energy-ga

Star Tribune · Xcel Energy agrees to smaller 7.5% natural gas rate increase in MinnesotaBy Walker Orenstein

"There are plans to improve infrastructure and make it more resilient in the future, but executives acknowledged that those plans will cost money and that will come out of customers’ pockets."

The Xcel CEO makes over $20 millon/yr. This is what we get when we allow deregulation and corporate monopolies of public infrastructure/utilities.

dailycamera.com/2024/04/10/wer

Boulder Daily Camera · ‘We’re the guinea pigs’: Boulder County officials question Xcel about power shutdownBy Amber Carlson

Xcel Energy has been fined $14,000 for storing radioactive water without a permit in the aftermath of a spill last year at its Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant. Xcel also revealed that the original spill started a few weeks earlier than the company originally reported, and may have released more than twice as much radioactive water as it originally estimated. startribune.com/xcel-fined-14k

Star Tribune · Xcel fined $14K over unpermitted storage of radioactive water at Minnesota nuclear plantBy Chloe Johnson

#Nuclear corporations often under-report radiation amounts, or take their time about reporting incidents (sometimes only after there's a whistleblower involved). After all, it's all about image and money, not public or environmental safety.

#Xcel fined $14K over unpermitted storage of #radioactive water at #Minnesota #nuclear plant

After a leak of #tritium at the #MonticelloNuclear Generating Station was revealed in March, Xcel faced repeated challenges in collecting and storing the tainted water.

By Chloe Johnson Star Tribune
December 14, 2023

"#XcelEnergy has been fined $14,000 for storing radioactive water without a permit in the aftermath of a spill last year at its Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant.

"Meanwhile, Xcel revealed Thursday that the original spill started a few weeks earlier than the company originally reported, and may have released more than twice as much radioactive water as it originally estimated.

"The plant, about a 30-minute drive northwest of the Twin Cities, sprung a leak of tritium-tainted water in late 2022. The utility and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) didn't reveal the leak to the public until the following March, drawing public criticism and a promise from state officials to be more transparent.

"Xcel originally reported that some 400,000 gallons of water had seeped from a broken pipe in a narrow space between two buildings. But on Thursday, it reported that the real amount was more likely between 750,000 and 900,000 gallons — an updated guess based on research the company has done and 'signs that the leak may have started a few weeks earlier than previously estimated.'"

startribune.com/xcel-fined-14k

Star Tribune · Xcel fined $14K over unpermitted storage of radioactive water at Minnesota nuclear plantBy Chloe Johnson

"Xcel fined $14K over unpermitted storage of radioactive water at Minnesota nuclear plant"

“After a leak of tritium at the Monticello Nuclear Generating Station was revealed in March, Xcel faced repeated challenges in collecting and storing the tainted water."

#Xcel #nuclear #NuclearPower #NuclearWaste #Minnesota #MNastodon

startribune.com/xcel-fined-14k

Star Tribune · Xcel fined $14K over unpermitted storage of radioactive water at Minnesota nuclear plantBy Chloe Johnson

When your plans to mitigate nuclear waste spills is to separate the ecosystem into two parts...

"Underground wall to be installed at Xcel nuclear plant.

Xcel Energy says it is set to begin construction this weekend on an underground wall meant to impede interaction between river water and groundwater at its Monticello plant."

#Xcel #nuclear #NuclearPower #NuclearWaste #Monticello #Minnesota

cbsnews.com/minnesota/video/un

News about liquid metal battery!

-------------
Ambri's first utility installation: Ambri and utility company Energy will start installation of a 300-kWh system in Aurora, Colo. in early 2024; the system should be fully operational by the end of that year.

-------------
Headline: Liquid-Metal Battery Will Be on the Grid Next Year:
The molten calcium-antimony design promises low cost and long life.

spectrum.ieee.org/liquid-metal

IEEE Spectrum · Liquid-Metal Battery Will Be on the Grid Next YearBy Prachi Patel
Continued thread

I’m an adherent of Halon’s Razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence. That is my best guess.

But…if Xcel were attempting to silently sabotage the green energy discounts which they agreed to in order to secure their government-blessed monopoly, well, this is exactly what it would look like.

I’m in a truly epic dispute with Xcel Energy. The short of it is that they have an “electric heating” discount, and I’ve been asking since January to get it, and every time the customer service agent says they can switch me over and the last person screwed up, and then…it never happens. I’m now 4 months into being overcharged, with no resolution.

Anybody have experience applying pressure to Xcel? Any tips? Avenues I should purse?

"Leaks from #Minnesota nuclear power plant raise safety fears across US

Leaks were contained and posed no danger, official reports say, but past disasters continue to cause fears of power source.

In December, Janica Jammes started a microgreens business just across the river from #Xcel Energy’s #NuclearWaste plant in #Monticello.

At least once each day, she uses water from her well to nourish the plant trays. She delivers her product to customers within a 10-mile radius and says the business has been a success.

But now she worries that her water could be contaminated by a leak of about 400,000 gallons of radioactive water that occurred in November at the plant, which is about 40 miles north-west of #Minneapolis.

Moreover, Jammes is upset that the company did not alert the public about the leak until March – and then detected a second leak, which the company described as smaller than the first one."

#NuclearPower #tritium @sts

theguardian.com/us-news/2023/a

"Monticello nuclear plant radioactive leak: A timeline"

"Late last year, a leak of hundreds of thousands of gallons of contaminated water was discovered at #Xcel Energy's #Monticello Nuclear Generating Plant.

There was a monthslong delay in announcing the initial leak to the public, raising questions about public safety and transparency.

Then, a second leak meant the plant had to power down. And now, Xcel Energy says the leak is fixed and the plant will reopen soon.

A lot has happened between the leak and the plant's planned reopening, including a fish kill in the Mississippi River.

Here's a timeline of events:"

#Minnesota #nuclear #NuclearPower @sts

cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/mon