Xcel Energy Partnership Advisory Panel

Legal basis

• Energy Partnership Agreement between the City of Boulder and Xcel Energy (dated Aug. 27, 2020; approved by voters Nov. 3, 2020) (2020-08-27) · creates source
• Energy Partnership Community Advisory Panel Charter Document · governs source source

Appointed by

City Manager. The City Manager (or a delegate) appoints all members and fills vacancies; Xcel Energy gives input on appointments. City Council does not appoint; the panel is not an official city board or commission. source source source as of 2026-10-29

another source differs

appointed jointly by the city and Xcel Energy source

The panel's own charter document vests appointment in the City Manager or delegate with Xcel input, and the 2021 recruitment notice says the city manager selects in coordination with Xcel; the project page's 'the city and Xcel appointed' summarises that joint selection rather than a separate Xcel appointing power. Its '18 members' is a cumulative or older count (the roster lists 14).

How

Open application (the first round closed Feb. 26, 2021); the City Manager, in coordination with Xcel Energy, selects members to represent homeowners, renters, large and small commercial customers, the University of Colorado and other stakeholders; vacancies are filled by the City Manager for the rest of the term. No council vote. · as terms expire or seats fall vacant; recruitment was in progress in February 2025 · none (City Manager appointment) source source source source as of 2021-01-21

Seats

14 source source as of 2026-10-29

Seat types

• Residential customers (homeowners and renters, who must live in Boulder) and business customers, three-year terms ×12 designated
• Ongoing institutional seats: Boulder Valley School District and Boulder Chamber of Commerce (the charter also names the University of Colorado) ×2 designated

source source source as of 2026-10-29

Term

3 years (institutional members ongoing) source source as of 2026-10-29

Term limit

two full terms (members first appointed to a shorter initial term, or to fill a vacancy, may serve two full terms in addition) source source as of 2026-10-29

Staggering

Staggered: initial terms of one, two or three years so that no more than one-third of terms expire in the same year source source as of 2021-01-21

Powers

advisory. Decides: Nothing: it is not a decision-making body and cannot direct staff. It reviews energy issues, partnership strategies, projects and technical modeling, and evaluates them for racial and economic equity.. To council: None directly: its recommendations (by majority vote or consensus, with majority and minority views) go to the partnership's Project Oversight Team of city and Xcel staff. source source source as of 2026-10-29

Council liaison

not applicable: Not a city board or commission: the City Manager appoints it and it advises the partnership's Project Oversight Team, not City Council, which assigns no liaison to it. source source

Staff liaison

Climate Initiatives · Carolyn Elam source source source as of 2026-10-29

Relations

• City Manager appoints Xcel Energy Partnership Advisory Panel · Xcel Energy provides input to appointments source
• Xcel Energy Partnership Advisory Panel recommends to Project Oversight Team source
• Climate Initiatives staffs Xcel Energy Partnership Advisory Panel · city staff contact for the panel source source

History

• 2021 · created · Formed in 2021 under the 2020 Energy Partnership Agreement (franchise and partnership approved by voters in November 2020); applications opened January 21, 2021. source source