Changes

A ballot initiative scheduled for November 2011 would, if passed, allow the city of Boulder take over Xcel's role as electric supplier. The municipal utility push began in 2009 when Boulder officials concluded the city couldn't meet its goal of reducing emissions of greenhouses gases to 1990 levels by 2012. More than half the electricity supplied to the city of Boulde comes from coal-fired power plants. <ref>Mark Jaffe [http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_18865813 "Boulder, Xcel Energy Square Off,"] Denver Post, Sept. 11, 2011. </ref> In the past 10 years, thirteen communities have switched from investor-owned to municipal utilities, according to the American Public Power Association. Most were small communities of 10,000 or less. Boulder, with about 96,000 residents, would be the biggest city to switch to a municipal utility in years.   An August, 2011 poll by the city of Boulder showed that 71 percent of voters supported the creation of a city electric utility. The greatest support was among younger voters, renters, women, and those with an income of less $50,000. <ref> Steve Fenberg [http://www.neweranews.org/blog/poll-71-of-boulder-voters-support-energy-municipalization "Survey shows Boulder voters support creation of a city-owned electric utility by a wide margin"] New Era News, Aug. 1, 2011. </ref>