Senior VP, Chief Communications Officer & Chief of Staff, Xcel
Search every verified Rob Clark interview, podcast appearance, and on-the-record quote — each transcript cross-checked by AI and human review to confirm speaker identity. In a September 2024 interview, Rob Clark, Senior VP, Chief Communications Officer & Chief of Staff at Xcel Energy, addressed the company's recent rate increases. He stated that the dollars received from customers for base rates, particularly for the natural gas system, are primarily used to fund safety and reliability, with about 60% of the investment in a recent case going to safety, reliability, and mandatory relocations. Clark said that Xcel Energy buys gas commodity wholesale without markup, so customers see fluctuations immediately, and noted that gas commodity costs were about 28% lower than the previous winter. He described "safe, reliable, and resilient" as a reflection of the company's obligation to customers, not "magic words." Clark acknowledged that customers may perceive frequent rate increases negatively but explained that some adjustments reflect gas commodity cost fluctuations, which can also result in decreases, while base rate increases are filed when funds are needed for investments. Clark discussed the company's participation in shaping Senate Bill 291, which includes a gas price risk mitigation plan to smooth customer bills. He said Xcel Energy increased energy assistance programs by $47 million, funded by customers, and contributed $500,000 to Energy Outreach Colorado and about $1.3 million to various nonprofits. Clark stated that the company has a net zero vision to decarbonize electric and gas systems and aims to do so cost-effectively. He expressed a desire to provide outstanding customer service, saying the company must "act like a competitive business and treat our customers as if they are ours to lose."
“The dollars that we receive from our customers, particularly with respect to our natural gas system, are primarily used to fund the safety and the reliability of the system. About 60% of the investment in our recent case is going to safety, reliability, and mandatory relocations due to infrastructure replacements by co...”
“We buy the gas commodity wholesale and do not charge any markup on it, so when the cost fluctuates up or down, customers see that immediately. This winter heating season, gas commodity costs are about 28% less than last winter, and customers are seeing that reflected in their bills.”
“Safe, reliable, and resilient are not magic words; they reflect our solemn obligation to customers. Our customers deserve and expect their homes to be heated on cold nights and the lights to be on, and maintaining safety requires preventative maintenance and inspections.”
“We have a very transparent process with the Public Utilities Commission and do not arbitrarily change prices like Netflix. Any rate increase must be justified to the commission and stakeholders, explaining what we intend to do with those dollars.”
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