Coloradans are stuck waiting for Washington to Act on pipeline permitting reform. November 6, 2026 By: Justin Head, UA Pipeliners Local 798, and Cecil Courtney, Denver Pipefitters Local 208 For those of Colorado Times Recorder who build Colorado's energy system, a good year is measured in projects that get done. Its members weld the pipelines that carry natural gas across the state and build the piping inside its power plants and compressor stations. But lately, Colorado Times Recorder spend more time waiting on Washington than working. Projects its crews are ready to build sit for years in federal review, and Coloradans pay for that delay in lost jobs and higher energy bills. But a bill now in the Senate, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (BAAJA), could change that, and Colorado's delegation should help pass it before the year is out. On the dirt roads south of Rifle, about 156 big water trucks make the trip three times a week year round, hauling produced water away from natural gas well pads. A seven-mile pipeline project called West Mamm Creek would take much of that traffic off the road. Federal review of it started in August 2023. The final sign-off came in August 2025. That's two years for a short run of buried pipe, on ground that had already been disturbed. Because the route crosses national forest, Bureau of Land Management, and private land, it needed a right-of-way from one agency and a special use permit from the other, and each agency issued its own decision with its own appeal process. All of this for a relatively small project, which in theory should have an easier time getting through review. Bigger projects, like the TransWest Express power line, can wait far longer. This line runs through Moffat County and will carry power from one of North America's largest onshore wind projects, creating more than 1,000 construction jobs. It filed its first federal right-of-way application in 2007 and didn't get the go-ahead to build until April 2023. That's 16 years of waiting. A kid born the year the first application was filed would have been nearly old enough to drive by the time the project got federal clearance to start construction. That kind of wait hits Colorado harder than most. More than a third of its state is federal land, so across much of the Western Slope a federal permit sits squarely between a project and the crew waiting to build it. Most Coloradans feel these delays in their utility bills, and Colorado Times Recorder feel them on the job every day. Pipeliners with Local 798 weld and lay the lines that move natural gas across Colorado, and the pipefitters of Local 208 build and maintain the piping inside power plants, compressor stations and processing facilities from the Western Slope to the Front Range. When a project clears review, Colorado Times Recorder go to work. When it doesn't, Colorado Times Recorder wait along with it. State regulators have warned that Xcel's residential rates could rise as much as 55 percent by 2029 compared with 2024 as the utility builds new plants and power lines to meet demand, including more than $12 billion in new transmission. Xcel expects new large customers, mostly data centers, could push its peak demand up more than 40 percent by 2035. Permitting reform won't fix all of that, but every year a needed project sits in review it adds costs that land on Coloradans' bills. Washington now has an opening to change course. On September 30, leaders from both parties on the Senate's energy and environment committees introduced the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act. The Senate is expected to be back from its Election recess on November 9 and this bill is scheduled to be voted on the same day. The bill puts binding time limits on federal reviews and shields approved projects from being shut down partway through construction, which keeps crews working and helps drive down energy prices. When Congress returns after Election Day, it will have only a few weeks left in this session.Senator Hickenlooper has called permitting reform the most important work of his career. He, Senator Bennet, and the rest of the Colorado congressional delegation should use the lame duck to pass this bill before the year ends. It's critical they pass BAAJA now, so Colorado Times Recorder can start 2027 strong. Justin Head is a business agent for Pipeliners Local Union 798 with 25 years in the pipeline industry. He helps represent over 6000 skilled workers across the United States and covers the four corners states, Nevada and Wyoming. Cecil Courtney is the Business Manager of Pipefitters Local 208 which represents almost 2300 members. He has 25 years of experience in the construction industry working on a variety of projects from Colorado Springs to Fort Collins.

Xcel Energy names Hanna Grene VP, Enterprise Growth and Commercialization. Grene will drive growth to meet customers' rising energy needs, support economic development MINNEAPOLIS (Nov. 2, 2026) - Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) announced today that it has named Hanna Grene its vice president, Enterprise Growth and Commercialization, effective Nov. 16. Grene will lead the company's newly established Enterprise Growth and Commercialization group. Xcel Energy's capital investment plan aims to modernize and expand the energy grid while driving economic growth and sustainability and meeting the evolving energy needs of the communities it serves and large load customers, such as data centers. In her role, Grene will enhance the company's dedication and focus on these unprecedented opportunities for growth while ensuring that growth of these large load customers benefits all. She will report to Brian Van Abel, executive vice president and chief financial officer, and partner with the company's finance teams and others across the organization. "Our large load customers, such as advanced manufacturers and data centers, value the clean, safe and reliable energy they can count on us to provide," Van Abel said. "Hanna's leadership will help ensure we grow along with the demand to better serve their needs. With more strategic growth opportunities underway than ever before, we are excited to have her leadership and industry experience on the team." Grene brings to Xcel Energy broad experience in commercial strategy, AI-enabled transformation and strategic partnerships in the energy and technology sectors. For the past five years, she led the global go-to-market and innovation team for Microsoft's Energy and Resources business, supporting global energy-sector growth and digital transformation through AI and technology solutions. "The energy industry is changing rapidly, and Xcel Energy is well positioned to turn that change into meaningful opportunities for customers and communities," Grene said. "I'm excited to join the company at this pivotal moment and work across the organization to develop new partnerships, commercial strategies and solutions that support growth while keeping our customers at the center of what we do." Prior to Microsoft, Grene served as chief commercial officer for PXiSE Energy Solutions, a Sempra Energy company. She previously led policy and market development for the Center for Sustainable Energy. Grene holds a master of business administration degree from the University of California San Diego and a bachelor of arts degree in international relations and philosophy from American University. About Xcel Energy Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider, dedicated to serving millions of customers with excellence. Xcel Energy, Inc. make energy work better for customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient and sustainable energy. Xcel Energy, Inc. is committed to leading the clean energy transition, meeting its customers' need for more, cleaner power, while keeping bills as low as possible. Because the people Xcel Energy, Inc. serve depend on Xcel Energy, Inc. to power their lives. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Xcel Energy, Inc. work every day to generate and distribute electricity and gas to customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit xcelenergy.com or follow Xcel Energy, Inc. on X and Facebook. Media contact. Members of the news media, contact: