XTRA - Xcel Energy · Xtra is running a series of articles on select winners.) Natural gas-˜red generation has long managed the vagaries of wind-power production. Units have cycled

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CapX 2020Massive project wraps up with 800 miles of new line

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Coal TurndownCoal generation is stepping up to help balance wind loads on the system.

Drone ConferenceCompany shows participants the bene�ts of the new technology.

CapX2020Transmission effort has changed the energy landscape of the Upper Midwest.

Energy PlanXcel Energy proposes agreement to boost renewables and economic development.

New GatewayCompany plays role in new bridge now open between Wisconsin and Minnesota.

PeopleThe most recent Friends We’ll Miss and Retirements.

On the CoverThe huge CapX2020 project entailed 13 years, a $2 billion investment, 800 miles of transmission line and 11 partners working together. It has changed the energy landscape of the Upper Midwest. For more information, please see page eight.

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(Editor’s Note: Ben Fowke, chairman, president and CEO, periodically writes a blog on XpressNet, as well as other articles and communications. Xtra features Fowke’s comments on a recurring basis to share his thoughts with a wider audience.)

If you’ve worked with a personal trainer, you know the value that can bring – professional knowledge, insights and recommendations gained from training many different people with varying levels of �tness, as well as a strong push for accountability – all helping you to reach your fullest potential.

When people ask me to describe our XE1 initia-tive, I liken it to the company hiring its own personal trainer, a consultant who works with the top com-panies in the world. The consultant’s job is to work with us to evaluate our organization and deliver best practices and recommendations for improvement. Our job is to own this exercise and implement what works best to help us reach our goals.

As I mentioned in our most recent webcast, XE1 is one of the efforts under way to help us continuously improve as a company. It started in three business units last fall – Nuclear, Supply Chain and Business Systems – and early results are impressive.

A collaborative example is the new approach that Supply Chain and Business Systems developed for vendor contract negotiations, saving the company millions of dollars.

XE1 also spurred the Nuclear team to create Con-tinuous Improvement and Innovation Centers at each

plant to foster innovative ideas to drive ef�ciency and improve our competitiveness. These physical locations serve as the nerve centers for Nuclear’s XE1 process.

It is an out-of-the-box approach to engaging employees in the process and fostering greater collaboration. Hundreds of ideas have come in from employees already, many of which are being priori-tized for implementation.

You’ve heard me talk about the importance of building a culture that is always improving and always delivering for our customers. Like PTT, XE1 is another way we are bringing focused attention on continuous improvement.

Several other business units are now launching XE1 efforts, and I expect that it will eventually be rolled out across the entire company. If we all work hard to get better every day, we will be a stronger, more effective organization for the future.

Thanks for your commitment to “Getting Better Every Day.”

Hiring our own personal trainer

CEO Message

“It is an out-of-the-box approach to engaging

employees in the process and fostering greater

collaboration.”


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Coal Working with Wind

(Editor’s Note: The new I Deliver and Innovator Awards at Xcel Energy reward performance when teams and employees deliver greater-than-expected results. These award opportuni-ties are designed to help fuel collaboration, innovation, continu-ous improvement and an enhanced customer experience. Xtra is running a series of articles on select winners.)

Natural gas-�red generation has long managed the vagaries of wind-power production. Units have cycled up and down as needed to help meet electric loads as wind speeds rise and fall.

But now, coal generation at Xcel Energy is stepping up and taking a share of the task – and helping the company save plenty of money as a result.

The Coal Unit Turndown Team in Colorado has worked to reduce the minimum operating load of the state’s coal units by more than 300 megawatts total, saving the company at least $6 million a year. In doing so, the team recently won an Innovator Award for its outstanding work and accomplishments, which may be replicated across the company.

Three years ago, Rocky Mountain Generating Station was cycling off and on nearly 150 times a year to help the company’s system balance wind production – an expensive but needed

operational measure, said David Robb, team lead and plant director of Rocky Mountain and Blue Spruce stations.

Work soon began with Commercial Operations to consider dispatching options and the various load ranges for the �eet. It appeared that the company’s coal plants had room to move within their load ranges, he said, and soon the team formed to begin its work.

In 2016, the team began meeting with employees from Hayden, Pawnee and Comanche generating stations to research the issues that could come up with lowered production and quicker ramp rates. A testing program eventually began, and the three plants worked to keep pushing their outputs lower and lower.

Both Pawnee and Comanche Unit Three were able to cut their loads by about 30 percent – a huge boon for the company as it works to meet higher wind loads as more wind production comes on the system.

“All of the improvements came straight out of the plants,” Robb said. “They took on this effort and produced some great results.” Ramping up and down with a coal unit is much more chal-lenging than natural gas generation, he explained. A percentage of coal mills may need to be shut down, for instance, and even

Innovator Award team works to adjust coal Coal Working with Wind

Innovator Award team works to adjust coal Coal Working with Wind

operating loads, saves millons of dollars


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Coal Working with Wind

weather can affect operating conditions. “During the testing effort, the plants learned their limita-tions and what to watch for as they go down,” Robb said. “Mov-ing their loads up and down became easier with �ne-tuning and practice. They did a great job of �guring out all of the issues and working through them.” The coal plants informed Robb that he was just looking to make his job easier at the Rocky Mountain plant. “Yes, I am,” he responded honestly. “But it is all part of the picture of operating in the renewable world.” Rocky Mountain stands to save $2 million a year on average, he said, as its combustion turbines will now last a year and half longer between overhauls, thanks to the work at the coal plants. Safety was the �rst issue considered in looking at lowering the loads of coal units – particularly coal-handling operations, said Greg George, senior plant engineer at Comanche. With that initial screen covered, the plants received feedback from Commercial Operations that any achievements would be well worth it. “So we began testing and bringing the units down, work-ing around problems at lower load points and �guring out how we could move past them,” George explained. “We eventually

determined our hard limits, but the numbers achieved add up to some real savings for the company.” Those limits primarily involved inlet temperatures for Sulphur-dioxide scrubber units and �ame stability, he said. And work now continues to look at whether lower-temperature scrubbing may be possible to push the units even farther. “The effort allows us to respond more quickly to rapid load-response needs in working with the intermittent nature of wind and solar generation,” George said. “In doing so, it makes our coal units more bene�cial to the entire generation mix.” Xcel Energy needs to be responsible to customers and stakeholders in order to take full advantage of renewables, Robb said, and ensure that the entire system is operating as ef�ciently as possible. “It’s a changing grid, with lots of renewables now on board and a lot more coming,” he said. “In the future, fossil fuels will be on hand to �ll in the gaps with renewables, so an even more important mission lies ahead. “We need to be responsive in �lling those gaps for renew-ables,” he added. “And we’re working right now to meet the new load requirements in a responsible way.”

Hayden Generating Station


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A Drone Focus Conference recently took center stage in Fargo, N.D., attracting numerous attendees, including U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao. Xcel Energy was there with crews and drones – showing participants “how we can use unmanned aircraft systems to enhance public safety and storm response,” said Eileen Lock-hart, UAS program manager. North Dakota is a national leader in drone technology and research, and the conference brought together more than 600 attendees and 40 speakers, covering a range of topics across the UAS spectrum. Xcel Energy was a sponsor and key participant, she said, and was featured on the main stage in a live-stream, emergency storm exercise from the city of Mayville. The exercise featured a mock storm scenario, with Xcel Energy crews and emergency personnel from half a dozen agencies responding to a simulated tornado in Mayville that knocked out power to the entire community, including the local hospital. The event covered a range of emergency-response situ-ations, including restoring electric power and critical infrastruc-ture, treating the injured and tracking down missing people. “The demonstration was a great example of how we’re leading the industry by approaching our business in innovative ways,” Lockhart said. “By working with state and federal agencies, we’re able to help shape the policy landscape.” Xcel Energy partners Elbit and SkyScopes also participated in the exercise, streaming live video from Mayville to Fargo (approximately 45 miles away) from two different types of un-manned aircraft – one at high altitude and one at low altitude.

One of the challenges in a natural disaster is reaching and inspecting damage in hard hit areas, said Troy Browen, director of Control Center and Trouble Operations. “Using unmanned aircraft systems to send information back to a control center to be analyzed immediately should help reduce outage time and save money,” he said. Last year, Xcel Energy began a year-long disaster response research project in partnership with the state of North Dakota, the University of North Dakota and other drone technology partners. This fall, a project team working with various partners should have data compiled from a research project in North Da-kota to evaluate the potential use of drone technology to assess damage and speed recovery efforts following natural disasters. Results from the research project will be compiled into a white paper report and shared with the project partners and member companies of the Edison Electric Institute’s UAS com-mittees, Lockhart said. The company anticipates the learnings from its research will be used to help strengthen the industry’s ability to utilize UAS during escalated operations. Xcel Energy is proposing the use of UAS to:• Monitor hard-to-reach sites.• Monitor, maintain and inspect its system.• Save customers money.• Use in emergency response efforts. “We believe leveraging UAS technology will improve employee and public safety, and will enhance productivity and system reliability,” Lockhart said. “And the number of possible uses for UAS technology just keeps expanding.”

N.D. DRONE CONFERENCE LOOKS AT STORM RESPONSE

Aerial ResearchNorth Dakota is a national leader in drone technology and research, and a conference there recently brought together more than 600 attendees and 40 speakers, covering a range of topics. Xcel Energy was a sponsor and key participant.


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N.D. DRONE CONFERENCE LOOKS AT STORM RESPONSE

Aerial ResearchNorth Dakota is a national leader in drone technology and research, and a conference there recently brought together more than 600 attendees and 40 speakers, covering a range of topics. Xcel Energy was a sponsor and key participant.

News Brief

Around The Company

Xcel Energy board elects new board member David K. Owens has been elected to Xcel Energy’s board of directors. An executive with extensive experi-ence in public policies concerning energy and utility operations, Owens is recognized as an industry expert on business transformation. After 36 years of service, Owens recently retired from the Edison Electric Institute, the association repre-senting all U.S. investor-owned electric companies. He served as an executive vice president with EEI and was the �rst African-American to hold an of�cer title with the organization. Owens guided the association on issues affecting the future structure of the electric industry and the new rules in evolving competitive markets. He also spearheaded efforts to invest in the nation’s electric infrastructure with new technology enhancing energy ef�ciency with smart buildings, smart meters and smart grids. “We welcome David to the board and look forward to

the contributions he will make as a member of our tremendously talented team of directors,” said Ben Fowke, chairman, president and CEO of Xcel Energy. “David’s forward-thinking approach, extensive public policy experience and knowledge of innovative technologies will serve Xcel Energy well.” Before joining EEI, Owens served as chief engineer for the Division of Rates and Corporate Regulation with the Securities and Exchange Commission where he actively participated in landmark proceedings involving utility mergers, electric integra-tion issues and utility �nancial disclosure. A driving force behind the founding of the Ameri-can Association of Blacks in Energy, Owens has mentored generations of young men and women pursuing careers in energy. He served on Boards of the National Academy of Sciences and chaired the National Institute of Standards and Technology Smart Grid Advisory Committee.

Sherco at SunsetKasey Haugen, operations supervisor, took this photo of Sherco Generating Station in Becker, Minn., at sunset and shortly after a rain shower, just as the lights of the coal plant began illuminating the darkness.


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It’s quite an accomplishment, and one that has changed the energy landscape of the Upper Midwest. It entailed 13 years, a $2 billion investment, 800 miles of transmission line and 11 partners working together.

As of Aug. 30, 2017, the massive CapX2020 transmission line project is complete.

An event in South Dakota celebrated the completion of the Big Stone South-Brookings County project that day, marking the end to the �fth and �nal transmission line tied to the effort, as well as the entire CapX2020 project.

“Today, there are at least eight wind projects and one natural gas generation facility requesting to interconnect to our

new 70-mile line and the new Big Stone South Substation,” said Teresa Mogensen, senior vice president of Transmission. “The CapX2020 lines have strengthened the backbone of the grid, and we have addressed local reliability issues from Fargo to Roches-ter to La Crosse, so communities across our service territory can continue to grow and prosper.

“One of the wind projects, Crowned Ridge, will be the larg-est ever built in South Dakota and will result in tens of millions of dollars funneling into the state,” she added. “The common denominator for all of these projects is electric transmission.”

“These signi�cant investments are essential to positioning South Dakota for future renewable energy production,” said Gov.

CAPX2020 TRANSFORMS CAPX2020 TRANSFORMS CAPX2020 TRANSFORMS THE UPPER MIDWEST GRIDTHE UPPER MIDWEST GRIDTHE UPPER MIDWEST GRID


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CAPX2020 TRANSFORMS THE UPPER MIDWEST GRID

Dennis Daugaard at the South Dakota ceremony. “We’re excited about the new paths for solar and wind energy that will be opened up as a result of this important initiative.”

CapX2020 was a joint initiative of 11 transmission‐own-ing utilities in Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. It was formed to upgrade and expand the electric transmission grid to ensure continued reliable and affordable service, and to open up renewable energy opportunities across the region. “Our team worked well together to complete the Big Stone-South Brookings County project,” said Joe Samuel, project manager, of the �nal CapX project. “Crews worked in all kinds of

weather conditions, and we thank them for a job well done.”The set of major construction projects included four 345‐ki-

lovolt transmission lines and a 230-kilovolt line. CapX2020 is the largest development of new transmission in the Upper Midwest in more than 40 years.

The �ve CapX2020 projects include nearly 5,000 transmis-sion line structures, more than 26 million feet of conductor and more than 500,000 cubic yards of concrete. They include:• The Bemidji-Grand Rapids 230-kilovolt project was energized

in 2012 to improve reliability for the Red River Valley, Bemidji, Grand Rapids and north central Minnesota. The single-circuit line connects the Wilton Substation near Bemidji and the



Boswell Substation in Grand Rapids, both in Minnesota. Construction began in January 2011, and the line is about 70 miles long.

• The Brookings County-Hampton 345-kilovolt project was en-ergized March 2015, and is about 250 miles long. The project helps meet projected electric growth in southern and western Minnesota, and the growing areas south of the Twin Cities metro area. The project also connects to new renewable generation resources in southern and western Minnesota, and the Dakotas.

• The Fargo-St. Cloud-Monticello 345-kilovolt project is about 240 miles long and improves community reliability in the southern Red River Valley, and the Fargo, Alexandria and St. Cloud areas in North Dakota and Minnesota. The line stretches between the new Bison Substation west of Fargo, North Dakota, to the Alexandria Switching Station in Alexan-

dria, Minnesota, the new Quarry Substation west of St. Cloud, Minnesota, and the substation at Monticello Nuclear Generat-ing Plant. Construction of the line started in 2010, and it was energized April 2015.

• The Hampton-Rochester-La Crosse 161/345-kilovolt project was energized in September 2016 and is about 155 miles long. The line improves reliability for the Twin Cities, Roches-ter and La Crosse areas in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

• The Big Stone South-Brookings County 345-kilovolt project runs between a new Big Stone South Substation near Big Stone City and the Brookings County Substation near Brook-ings, both in South Dakota. Construction began in November 2015 and was complete in August 2017.

“Major transmission lines – like those in the CapX2020 project – are helping to unlock the potential for a major build out of wind energy in the Midwest, while also offering important


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reliability bene�ts for customers,” said Beth Soholt, executive director of Wind on the Wires.

A portion of one of the �ve projects involved a tricky cross-ing of the Mississippi River. Crews traveled the river in all kinds of weather to construct a triple-circuit transmission line, part of the Hampton-Rochester-La Crosse 345-kilovolt line.

The work traversed the Minnesota-Wisconsin border for more than a mile and included the construction of two tower locations – one on an island and another on a peninsula acces-sible only by water, said Grant Stevenson, project manager in Transmission. It included hundreds of concrete trucks, a 250-ton crane and numerous structure pieces weighing more than 100,000 pounds each.

Several local contractors helped with the crossing effort, and Xcel Energy crews installed the poles and conductor. Line-men were dropped from helicopters onto the structures to help

install the lines over the river at the end of the project.“Helicopters would actually suspend the linemen on a long

rope and drop them off on top of the 195-foot structures,” Ste-venson said. “It was a unique experience to be able to work on such a long project from beginning to end over a 10-year period. It was very satisfying and a lot of fun.” Transmission provides options, Mogensen said in closing at the recent South Dakota event. “Without transmission, there is no highway to get the electricity to market,” she said. “Without transmission, the new tax revenue generated by wind farms, the royalty payments to landowners and the jobs don’t happen. “I want to thank all of our employees who have worked on the CapX2020 project over the past decade,” she added. “It’s a tremendous accomplishment, and one that required creativity, collaboration and dedication.”

CapX2020 CompleteCrews installed nearly 5,000 transmission line structures, more than 26 million feet of conductor and more than 500,000 cubic yards of concrete to complete the �ve CapX2020 projects over the past 13 years. The $2 billion investment created 800 miles of new transmission line in the Upper Midwest.


Xcel Energy worked with a broad group of 14 stake-holders and interest groups to reach an agreement on the recently announced Colorado Energy Plan.

The plan proposes a path to secure low-cost power for cus-tomers, stimulate economic-development opportunities in rural communities, grow the state’s use of renewable and clean-energy resources, and reduce carbon emissions. The process could lead to $2.5 billion in clean energy investments in rural Colorado, if there is no additional cost to the company’s electricity customers.“Colorado has a bright future and is already considered a national leader in renewable energy,” said David Eves, president of Xcel Energy–Colorado. “Governor Hickenlooper’s recent executive order committing the state to climate action encourages energy providers to seek ways to further reduce carbon emissions and maximize use of renewable energy, while keeping energy costs affordable for Coloradans.

“Now is the perfect time to take advantage of our state’s abundant renewable-energy resources and available incentives that signi�cantly lower the price our customers pay for electric-ity,” he added. “That’s why Xcel Energy and a diverse group of stakeholders are presenting the Colorado Energy Plan to our state regulators for their consideration as part of our Electric Resource Plan proceedings.”

The energy plan is a request to the Public Utilities Com-mission to approve a process that would enable Xcel Energy to develop a signi�cantly cleaner energy mix and reduce carbon emissions in Colorado, he said.

Under the plan, the company would retire 660 megawatts at two coal-�red generating units at Comanche Generating Station in Pueblo. It also would seek to add hundreds of megawatts of new wind and solar generation, as well as some natural gas-�red and storage resources, to replace the retired coal capacity as part of its resource-plan request.

“We believe that we can achieve this clean energy transi-tion without increasing costs to Colorado customers, and even save them money,” Eves said. “The Colorado Energy Plan can become a reality if we receive attractive bids for new clean-ener-gy resources in the competitive solicitation phase of the current resource plan, and if the Public Utilities Commission approves the portfolio that we propose from these bids.” If implemented, Xcel Energy could achieve 55 percent renewable energy on its power grid by 2026 and reduce carbon emissions by 60 percent from 2005 levels – all while keeping customer bills low. Customer bene�ts under the proposed plan include:• Secures long-term and low-cost power for customers.• Takes advantage of historically low clean-energy prices and

available tax incentives for renewable power.• Continually protects and saves customers money over time.• Accelerates the transformation of company energy resources

at no net cost to consumers.• Spurs economic development opportunities in rural Colorado

communities and across the state.• Grows the state’s portfolio of wind power, solar power, natural

gas and other clean-energy sources.• Supports a more balanced, diverse energy mix.• Delivers carbon dioxide emissions reductions.• Continues progress that the state has made on cleaner air, re-

ducing regional haze and shrinking its overall carbon footprint. In order to accommodate cleaner energy generating resources for the state, the proposal calls for the consideration of early retirement of the two Comanche coal generation units by 2026. Comanche’s Unit Three would remain in operation, Eves said, and company leaders have had initial conversations with employees at the plant. “This will be a long process, and one that will involve a


COLORADO ENERGY PLAN AGREEMENT PROPOSES PATH TO MORE RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT


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Wind40%

Solar14%

Hydro1%

Natural Gas22%

Coal23%

55%Renewables

2026 Estimated Energy MixUnder The Colorado Energy Plan

Wind23%

Natural Gas25%

Coal46%

29%Renewables

2016 Colorado Energy Mix

Other Renewable

6%

Hydro - 4%

Solar - 2%

lot of engagement with our employees and our stakeholders,” he said. “We will be discussing and planning for how we can successfully make this transition and maintain our commitment to jobs and community investments. “Xcel Energy has a lot of experience transitioning its �eet to cleaner and more diverse energy sources, as we have done at several of our other plants over the years,” Eves added. “We don’t anticipate reductions in force or layoffs and plan on accomplish-ing the transition through normal attrition such as retirements.” The new generation projects will be identi�ed and selected through a competitive acquisition process, targeting a mix of utility and independent power producer-owned facilities, he said, with Xcel Energy having a targeted investment of 50 percent of the renewable generation, and 75 percent of the natural gas-�red, storage or renewable-with-storage generation resources in the portfolio. Portfolio estimates are up to 1,000 megawatts of wind, up to 700 megawatts of solar and up to 700 megawatts of natural gas. “We have a responsibility to meet our customers’ energy needs, and our customers expect us to provide low-cost power and increase the use of cleaner energy,” Eves said. “As the state’s largest utility, it is important to us that we also support rural areas in Colorado, and this proposal’s investment will accomplish this goal.” “Colorado has an historic opportunity to take advantage of renewable-generated electricity available through competitive market acquisitions at historically low prices, while investing in good-paying jobs and cleaner air,” said Sarah Cottrell Propst, executive director of the Interwest Energy Alliance, one of the 14 stakeholders involved in the plan. “Interwest is pleased to be part of such a broad coalition working toward a clean energy future and new opportunities for economic growth.”

The plan’s stakeholders are seeking approval of the proposal from the CPUC by the end of 2017, which would allow the com-pany to bring forth a portfolio that includes the retirement of coal units and replacement of generation capacity. “For more than a decade, Xcel Energy has executed a clean-energy strategy that transitions our operations for the future and consistently reduces carbon emissions, while keeping costs low for customers,” Eves said. “Coloradans support increasing the use of clean energy in our state – and speci�cally, support more renewable wind and solar power on the grid. In short, our customers want clean and affordable energy, and we are ready to provide it. “This is a proactive strategy that builds on the company’s ‘Our Energy Future’ plan, focused on powering technology, customer choice and the economy,” Eves said. “It outlines clear steps to take control of Colorado’s energy future and modernize the grid, while we continually work to keep customers’ bills as low as possible.”

NEW METERS COMING



Letters

News Brief

Photo Op

Xcel Energy shines at energy storage conference Xcel Energy recently served as the utility sponsor of the 27th Annual Energy Storage Association’s (ESA) Con-ference and Expo in Denver. At the event, the company highlighted its current battery storage pilot projects – the Panasonic microgrid project and the Stapleton battery pilot project – both in Denver. ESA’s goal is to be the voice of the energy-storage industry, and promote the adoption of competitive and

reliable energy-storage systems for electric ser-vice throughout the United States. More than 2,000 attendees participated in the three-day event, which

also provided expanded conversations about energy stor-age and the transformation of the power sector. Speakers from Xcel Energy who participated in those conversations included: David Eves, president of Xcel Energy–Colorado; Beth Chacon, director of Grid Storage and Emerging Technologies; and André Gouin, business technology consultant. “Being a part of ESA’s conference allowed us to share information about our battery-storage projects, while also learning about other energy storage initiatives,” Chacon said. “It was a great opportunity to network and exchange ideas with people from across the country and the world.” As an extension of the conference, tours of the Pana-sonic project were provided, with more than 100 partici-pants checking out the multiple pieces of the two-year microgrid effort. Participants included U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette of Denver.

Lineman and CloudsJohn Gardner, staff engineer with Southern Design in Lubbock, Texas, captured this photo of journeyman lineman Oscar Osornio, with Electric Construction in Levelland, Texas, while he worked on a 40-foot utility pole near South Elementary in Levelland, complete with a nice view of the sunrise in the background.

Editor’s Note: “Photo Op” is a standing feature in Xtra. Each issue, a photo submitted by a reader or produced by a member of Corporate Communications will be published. Please submit high-resolution digital photos to the editor at the email address listed on the back page of this publication. By submitting images for “Photo Op,” employees give Xtra permission to run the photos.


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‘The response was crazy fast’

Dear Xcel Energy:Wow, you restored power quickly. The response was

crazy fast.At �rst, I thought my TV had fried. Then after 20 min-

utes, I looked at the microwave, and it showed no time.That’s when I realized I had no power. I emailed you

and you emailed me back, saying the power would be restored in two hours. But it was like 20 minutes.

I would like to thank you and everyone who works there for your great service!

—Trent Sandness

‘I live in a sweet little cottage’

Dear Xcel Energy:I want to let you know how lucky you are to have a

knowledgeable and determined serviceman like Trever Phillips (senior service �tter, Gas Operations).

Mr. Phillips came to my home at 10 p.m. this summer to check out a strong gas leak. I live in a sweet little cot-tage in Old Town Fort Collins, with small spaces, but Mr. Phillips was undeterred.

I want you to know how much I appreciate his thorough inspection of all those spaces, his willingness to answer my questions, and his reassurance that my cat and I could go to bed without worry.

And, as the cat and I began to unwind from the evening, I noticed Mr. Phillips still in his truck writing up a report – after midnight.

—Ann Webb, happy customer, Fort Collins, Colo.

Letters

News Brief

Wissota Hydro celebrates 100 years Looking out over the vast surface of the 6,200-acre Lake Wissota, it’s hard to believe the area was once just a woodsy valley with the Chippewa and Yellow Rivers and Paint Creek meandering through it. That was before 700 workmen, using horse-driven steam shovels and man-power, toiled from November 1915 to May 1917 to build the 67-foot-tall, 4,390-foot-long Wissota hydroelectric dam. To of�cially recognize the 100 years since water �rst spilled over the dam and created Lake Wissota, Xcel Energy took part as the signature sponsor (aka Musky Sponsor) of the Lake Wissota Centennial Celebration this past summer at the Lake Wissota State Park in Chippewa Falls. About 500 people attended the event where Mark Sto-ering, president, Xcel Energy–Wisconsin-Michigan, rec-ognized special guests, including a 100-year-old resident who has lived on the lake for 71 years and grandchildren of people who had worked on the dam. He also shared the company’s clean energy story from its earliest roots in hydro power.

“Wissota, considered the world’s largest earthen dam at the time, was an engineering marvel when it was built,” Stoering said. “It played an important role in the company’s history and continues to provide an excellent source of clean energy for about 30,000 customers in the region every day.” Many participants stopped by the Xcel Energy display to visit with employees, ask questions and share stories. Following the program and lunch at the State Park, about 80 people got a chance to tour the Wissota hydro with guides Rob Olson, manager, and Dean Steines, senior engineer. Wissota is one of 19 dams operated by Xcel Energy in Wisconsin and one of 10 that has surpassed the 100-year-old mark. “Interestingly a lot of the original equipment and dam structures are still functioning as designed 100 years ago,” Olson said. “From the brick structure to the powerhouse and the unique steel riveted gates, the craftsmanship that went into the building of Wissota is simply amazing.”

wordsmore wordsv

Wissota Hydro, July 1916


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A new bridge stretching across the St. Croix River for nearly a mile between Wisconsin and Minnesota is providing easier access for employees at King Generating Station and a fantastic view of the plant that sits on the Minnesota side of the river.

A ribbon cutting ceremony involving governors, U.S. Sena-tors, U.S. Representatives, and state and local of�cials took place last month, just before the bridge opened to traf�c. Three years in the making, the bridge replaced the more than 80-year-old Stillwater Lift Bridge, which was notorious for traf�c backups. The new crossing provides a better, larger route between the two states. “Our King plant team of 85 employees is excited for the bridge opening after watching all of the construction activity surrounding us for the past several years,” said Randy Capra, plant director at King. “Having a major bridge access less than a half mile away means better access in and out of our plant for our employees, contractors and vendors.” Xcel Energy had a hand in the project, too. That work included:• 28,000 feet of natural gas main relocated.• 2,170 feet of electric distribution line relocated, removed,

transferred or installed.• 140 overhead poles relocated, removed, transferred or

installed.• Three parcels of land along Highway 95 sold to MnDOT (And

Xcel Energy is currently working with the Minnesota Depart-ment of Natural Resources to construct a boat landing north of the power plant.)

• Countless hours working with local businesses, community, government agencies and more.

Company representatives from both sides of the river joined the estimated 300 dignitaries at the ribbon cutting, including employees in executive management, operations, state public affairs and community relations. Xcel Energy also co-sponsored

an old-fashioned ice cream social with the city of Oak Park Heights at a local park immediately after the ribbon-cutting ceremony. It had taken several decades of discussions and plan-ning before Congress and President Obama signed a bill in 2012 exempting the bridge from the National Scenic Riverway Act. From that day on, both the Wisconsin and Minnesota departments of transportation started to design and ultimately construct the mile-long bridge.

Because the bridge sits close to the King Plant, Xcel Energy and MnDOT signed a Memorandum of Understanding in 2005 for the project. It contained elements that were of bene�t to both Xcel Energy and MnDOT, including the use and removal of a barge-unloader facility, construction access across Xcel Energy property, osprey nest relocation, plant security and emergency vehicle access.

“Remember to glance down to the right if you’re in the eastbound lane crossing over the river to see the King Plant,” said Capra. “We’re awfully proud of the work we do here.”

Built in 1968, King was part of the company’s Metro Emissions Reduction Project from 2004 to 2007, which signi�cantly reduced air emissions. Sulfur dioxide emissions are down 95 percent, nitrogen oxide 90 percent, particulates 99 percent and mercury emissions are captured through activated carbon injections. The new bridge connects highways on both sides of the river and has the potential to produce signi�cant economic growth in western Wisconsin, said Brian Elwood, manager of Customer and Community Services in Hudson, Wis. “Over the past several years our border communities in St. Croix, Polk and Pierce counties have been preparing for the bridge’s opening and the expected growth,” Elwood said. “We’re looking forward to seeing the ongoing economic results now that it is complete.”


New SpanNew SpanCompany plays role in new gateway bridging Wisconsin and Minnesota


v

17 OCTOBER 15, 2017

Gary Verdieck’s father, Adolph (plant operator), his uncle, John (plant operator), and the pair’s brother-in-law, Nord (maintenance foreman), all worked at Shoshone Hydro. All three retired from the plant, built in the early 1900s and located just east of Glenwood Springs, Colo-rado, in the heart of Glenwood Canyon.

Verdieck recently followed in their footsteps – retiring on May 30 as a mechanical working foreman at the plant after 36 years. Near the end of his tenure at the company, he came across the �nds printed here.

“My mother, Frances, did scrapbooking, and I found this in one of the books she made,” he said. “My dad retired in 1976, and I started here in 1980. I also found a pay stub for my dad from 1958.’

Interestingly, the “new” 1957 line truck featured quarters behind the driver’s cab that included a lunch table and comfort-able seats. And a “cab-o-scope” allowed the driver to view the aerial operations of his fellow employees while maneuvering a power winch.

As for the paycheck? How times have changed.

Scrapbook FindShoshone retiree’s family/company history tracked by his mother



People

Friends We’ll MissLarry K. Asmus, 76, scheduling and maintenance coordinator, King Plant, Bayport, Minn., died on July 21, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1968 to 1999.

Thomas R. Aust, 78, lead machin-ist, Maintenance, Riverside Plant, Minneapolis, Minn., died on July 7, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1959 to 1996.

Merrill L. Blaskey, 87, municipal relations administrator, Account Management , General Of�ce, Minneapolis, Minn., died on July 7, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1953 to 1986.

Robert E. Brose, 86, senior billing analyst, Customer Service, Chest-nut Service Center, Minneapolis, Minn., died on July 18, 2017. He worked for, NSP from 1957 to 1988.

Richard G. Brown, 92, senior program analyst, Information Systems, Colorado, died on April 24, 2017. He worked for PSCo from 1951 to 1986.

Franklin W. Bunning, 65, mechanic specialist, Maintenance, Cherokee Station, Denver, Colo, died on July 4, 2017. He worked for PSCo from 1976 to 2012.

Carl A. Carreca, 81, vice president, Business Development, NRG Energy, 1221 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, Minn., died on June 28, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1991 to 1997.

Sally A. Drexel, 82, associate accounting analyst, Capital Asset Accounting, General Of�ce, Min-neapolis, Minn., died on Aug. 14, 2017. She worked for NSP from 1963 to 1994.

Howard T. Duff, 92, division meter supervisor, Engineering and Construction, Roswell Service Center, Roswell, N.M., died on July 31, 2017. He worked for SPS from 1957 to 1986.

Donald W. Fawcett, 94, system supervisor, System Operations, Eau Claire, Wis., died on June 11, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1949 to 1985.

Robert Fjerstad, 86, employee relations manager, Personnel, Gen-eral Of�ce, Minneapolis, Minn., died on Aug. 11, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1956 to 1995.

William L. Gebhardt, 88, energy utilization supervisor, Consumer Services, St Cloud Service Center, St. Cloud, Minn., died on July 23, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1947 to 1988.

Leo P. Germain, 77, lead service �tter B, Gas Emergency, Lipan Distribution Center, Denver, Colo., died on July 16, 2017. He worked for PSCo from 1963 to 1999.

Daniel L. Hesselberg, 57, gas technician, Gas Construction, La Crosse, Wis., died on May 30, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1994 to 2011.

Sawaye Hirokawa, 98, janitress thereafter, SP & AS Building Custodian, Colorado, died on June 3, 2017. She worked for PSCo from 1965 to 1983.

Merl L. Hokenstrom, 89, ac-counting coordinator, Business Operations, Winona Service Center, Winona, Minn., died on July 31, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1947 to 1988.

Thomas W. House, 81, truck driver helper, Electric Construction, Brooklyn Center Service Center, Brooklyn Center, Minn., died on July 5, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1958 to 1977.

James B. Hunter, 82, plant equip-ment operator, Unit Operations, Riverside Plant, Minneapolis, Minn., died on June 14, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1972 to 1995.

Katherine E. Hurley, 76, associ-ate, Southwest Metro Operations, Kipling Service Center, Lakewood, Colo., died on June 26, 2017. She worked for PSCo from 1977 to 1998.

Charles W. Johnson, 92, meter-man, Lipan Service Center, Denver, Colo., died on June 25, 2017. He worked for PSCo from 1955 to 1986.

Jay Johnson, 60, working fore-man B, Gas Trouble Repair, Lipan Distribution Center, Denver, Colo., died on July 23, 2017. He worked for PSCo from 1977 to 2017.

William J. Kelly, 82, gas �tter, Stillwater, Minn., died on May 19, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1963 to 1978.

James E. Kettner, 84, project manager, Production Services, General Of�ce, Minneapolis, Minn., died on July 30, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1957 to 1988.

Victor D. Knight, 87, line crew foreman, Electric Construction, Waconia Service Center, Waconia, Minn., died on July 20, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1960 to 1990.

Alvin C. Lalim, 86, area customer service coordinator, Consumer Services, Glenwood District Of�ce, St. Cloud, Minn., died on May 27, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1956 to 1988.

Dennis W. Langford, 77, journey-man lineman, Construction, Opera-tions and Maintenance, Roswell Service Center, Roswell, N.M., died on July 26, 2017. He worked for SPS from 1973 to 2005.

Richard K. Lee, 76, account ex-ecutive, Government Electric Sales, Maple Grove Materials Complex, Maple Grove, Minn., died on July 16, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1968 to 1999.

Bernard E. Mason, 87, appliance serviceman, High Plains Appliance Service, Sterling Service Center, Sterling, Colo., died on Aug. 2, 2017. He worked for PSCo from 1953 to 1986.

Michael E. McEwen, 70, senior �nancial analyst, Asset Manage-ment, Lipan Distribution Center, Denver, Colo., died on June 7, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy from 1995 to 2002.

Alan L. Means, 83, training co-ordinator, Material Management, Colorado, died on Aug. 2, 2017. He worked for PSCo from 1958 to 1989.

Daryl C. Moberg, 87, Payroll Accounting, General Of�ce, Min-neapolis, Minn., died on June 30, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1955 to 1988.

Ralph J. Notsch, 84, senior accounting clerk, Accounting, St. Cloud Service Center, St. Cloud, Minn., died on May 12, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1964 to 1994.

Robert E. Olson, 87, collec-tions representative, Customer Service, Chestnut Service Center, Minneapolis, Minn., died on July 28, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1953 to 1988.

Steven R. Randall, 62, meter reader, Meter Reading, Pampa Service Center, Pampa, Texas, died on July 2, 2017. He worked for SPS from 1999 to 2017.

Michael S. Ratliff, 64, senior service �tter, Gas Operations, Boul-der Service Center, Boulder, Colo., died on July 4, 2017. He worked for PSCo from 1973 to 2010.

Ernest B. Selland, 85, telephone and principal manager, Area Man-agement, Minot, N.D., died on July 29, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1955 to 1991.

Wilbur Stoll, 90, meter reader, Home Light and Power, Greeley, Colo., died on July 25, 2017. He worked for PSCo from 1952 to 1986.

John M. Suttor, 79, senior specialty engineer, Production Ser-vices, General Of�ce, Minneapolis, Minn., died on July 30, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1964 to 1995.

Luverne V. Triebwasser, 94, lead plant equipment operator, Path�nder Plant, Sioux Falls, S.D., died on June 30, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1948 to 1989.

James Valenta, 85, gas supply transport and marketing manager, West Gas, Prudential Plaza, Den-ver, Colo., died on July 30, 2017. He worked for PSCo from 1960 to 1993.

Gordon J. Venske, 87, combina-tion meter reader, Meter Reading, Shorewood Service Center, Shorewood, Minn., died on July 7, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1986 to 1992.

Kennan J. Walsh, 57, CIP/DSM Consultant, DSM Strategy and Financial Operations, 1800 Larimer, Denver, Colo., died on July 12, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy from 2005 until the time of his death.

Neva M. Ward, 94, senior book keeper, Amarillo, Texas, died on July 27, 2017. She worked for SPS from 1943 to 1983.

Anna S. Wasinger, 88, cus-tomer service specialist, Southeast Residential Sales and Service, Mankato Service Center, Mankato, Minn., died on July 26, 2017. She worked for NSP from 1967 to 1995.

Dale M. Woolhouse, 70, steam-�tter welder, Maintenance, Mon-ticello Nuclear Plant, Monticello, Minn., died on July 6, 2017. He worked for NSP from 1977 to 2005.


19 OCTOBER 1, 2017

RetiringJames Appeldorn, truck driver, Logistics, Newport Service Center, Newport, Minn., retired on Sept. 5, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 44 years.

Daniel L. Devore, environmental analyst, Environmental Services, Kipling Service Center, Lakewood, Colo., retired on July 26, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 36 years.

Dick Effertz, Electric Mainte-nance, Shorewood, Minn., retired on Oct. 5, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 37 years.

Alicia Ellsnorth ([email protected]), administrative assistant III, CEAP Project Management, Denver, Colo., retired on July 31, 2017. She worked for Xcel Energy for 38 years.

Kathleen A. Erickson, lead �tter, Gas Construction, White Bear Lake Service Center, White Bear Lake, Minn., retired on Sept. 29, 2017. She worked for Xcel Energy for 29 years.

Thomas S. Erlewine ([email protected]), principal engineer, Performance Testing and Analysis, Materials Distribution Center, Henderson, Colo., retired on Aug. 15, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 33 years.

Scott Gelle, lead equipment operator, Operations, King Plant, Bayport, Minn., retired on Sept. 19 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 34 years.

Donald Green, system relay specialist, Relay, Maple Grove Ser-vice Center, Maple Grove, Minn., retired on Aug. 1, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 25 years.

John Gurbach, land rights agent, Right of Way and Permits, Lipan Distribution Center, Denver, Colo., retired on Aug. 31, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 13 years.

Jesus R. Gutierrez ([email protected]), journeyman mechanic, Maintenance, Tolk Station, Mule-shoe, Texas, retired on June 30, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 31 years.

Rhonda Harper ([email protected]), billing specialist, Billing Services, Sky Park, Eau Claire, Wis., retired on Sept. 11, 2017. She worked for Xcel Energy for 39 years.

Pamela Kapaun ([email protected]), admin-istrative assistant III, Distribution Business Operations, St. Paul, Minn., retired on Aug. 4, 2017. She worked for Xcel Energy for 38 years.

Jerome G. Kaufer ([email protected]), line crew foreman, Overhead, Edina Service Center, Edina, Minn., retired on Sept. 15, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 34 years.

Mark E. Klaya, senior power system trader, Commercial Op-erations, Denver, Colo., retired on Aug. 15, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 35 years.

Kenneth M. Lane ([email protected]), system operator A, System Operations, Transmission Operations Center, Amarillo, Texas, retired on July 7, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 17 years.

Randy Linnen, plant planner, Maintenance, Comanche Station, Pueblo, Colo., retired on Aug. 2, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 36 years.

Kim Maddox, control room operator A, Operations, Harrington Station, Amarillo, Texas, retired on Sept. 19, 2017. She worked for Xcel Energy for 30 years.

Dewane Mitchell, planner, Mechanical Maintenance, Valmont Station, Boulder, Colo., retired on Sept. 29, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 34 years.

Charles Nagel ([email protected]), lead machinist, Mainte-nance, Sherco Plant, Becker, Minn., retired on July 27, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 48 years.

Douglas R. Nelson, senior techni-cal instructor, Operations Support, Prairie Island, Welch, Minn., re-tired on Sept. 29, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 41 years.

James Norman, senior planner, Supply Chain, Rice Street Service Center, St. Paul, Minn., retired on Aug. 1, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 10 years.

Steve Parrish, storekeeper, Fort Collins Service Center, Fort Collins, Colo., retired on Oct. 20, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 34 years.

Ronald Rodriques ([email protected]), substation operator, Electric Trouble, Rice Street Ser-vice Center, St. Paul, Minn., retired on Aug. 31, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 42 years.

Stan Rogers ([email protected]), senior budget analyst, Energy Supply, Comanche Station, Pueblo, Colo., retired on July 31, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 19 years.

Greg Sorter ([email protected]), operations manager, Gas Operations, Fort Collins Service Center, Fort Collins, Colo., retired on Sept. 29, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 41 years.

Alan E. Srock ([email protected]), director, PTT project, Distribution Business Operations, Rice Street Service Center, St. Paul, Minn., retired on July 14, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 38 years.

Charles D. Thomason, predictive maintenance foreman, Mainte-nance, Tolk Station, Muleshoe, Texas, retired on July 21, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 36 years.

Fred S. Yoder, mechanic special-ist, Maintenance, Fort St. Vrain Station, Platteville, Colo., retired on Sept. 7, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 36 years.

Linda Zeits ([email protected]), PTT manager, Distribution Operations, Rice Street Service Center, St. Paul, Minn., retired on Aug. 15, 2017. She worked for Xcel Energy for 29 years.

Scott B. Zima, manager, Distribu-tion Planning and Performance, Maple Grove, Minn., retired on Sept. 5, 2017. He worked for Xcel Energy for 33 years.

News Brief

Online Xtra subscription available for employees and retirees

Employee readers of Xtra can now opt out of receiving the print version of Xcel Energy’s employee and retiree publication, and instead read the online version on XpressNet or via a portal on the company’s website at xcelenergy.com.

To complete the opt-out process, employees need to �ll out a form on the Xtra homepage of XpressNet, provid-ing their name, employee ID and company email address. Those who choose to opt out will receive an email when a new issue is available for online viewing.

The opt-out form and online versions of Xtra can be found by clicking on the “Xtra Online” link, located at the bottom of the XpressNet homepage. The online edition of Xtra also can be found at xcelenergy.com/Xtra – or

from the home page, look under Community/Community Involvement/Retiree Directory.

In addition, retirees can opt out of receiving the print version, or request address changes regarding home delivery of the print edition, by calling the Human Resources Service Center at 800.689.7662. They also are invited to visit the webpage noted above (or xcelenergy.com/Retirees) to view the latest issue, as well as a number of back issues of Xtra.

As a reminder, Xcel Energy’s main phone number is 800.328.8226. Just hit “0” for an operator to contact vari-ous departments and employees.


Sometimes, being more energy ef�cient is as simple as changing a light bulb. Today’s LED bulbs use up to 80% less energy than a traditional bulb, and last signi�cantly longer too. It’s an easy switch that we’re making even easier, by providing discounts on LED bulbs. We’re always delivering ways to save. To �nd a retailer near you, visit xcelenergy.com/LightingDeals.

SEE LED BULBS IN A NEW,

WALLET-FRIENDLY LIGHT.

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XTRA - Xcel Energy · Xtra is running a series of articles on select winners.) Natural gas-˜red generation has long managed the vagaries of wind-power production. Units have cycled