🔋 Boulder County’s newest land rush: giant batteries

Good Monday morning, Boulder. Today’s BRL Today is sponsored by Groundworks Art Lab. Registration is now open for fall studio classes in clay, glass, metal, wood and print for everyone from curious beginners to experienced artists. 

Leading today: Energy developers are approaching Boulder County landowners with offers to lease their property for giant batteries that would store electricity for Xcel Energy. One proposed lease obtained by Boulder Reporting Lab offered $15,000 a year to host a battery system on part of a property and could tie up the land for as long as 40 years.

The search is being driven by a 2024 state law requiring Xcel to add distributed generation paired with battery storage. The projects could strengthen the electric grid and support cleaner energy, but the leases raise questions about landowner control, property sales and fire risk. Por Jaijongkit reports.

Plus more, Below the Fold:

• Boulder weather: Hot through Tuesday, then Wednesday storms.
• San Lazaro: Church pledges $40,000 to residents.
• Shanahan Ridge: Aging powerline to be replaced.
• Streetlights: Costly damage found after Xcel purchase.
• Minor crashes: County launches online reporting.

Thanks, as always, for reading,

– The BRL team

Boulder County landowners are getting $15,000-a-year offers to host giant batteries

A 2024 Colorado law requires Xcel Energy to acquire distributed generation paired with battery storage. Developers are now seeking private land for the projects, with some proposing leases that could last 40 years. Continue reading…

Sunny and warmer before storms return midweek

Boulder will start the week partly sunny, with a high near 90 today and an overnight low around 65. Tuesday will bring another warm day, with a high near 89 and a chance of an afternoon shower.

Storm chances increase Wednesday afternoon, with the high falling to around 85.

South Boulder church commits $40,000 to San Lazaro residents’ purchase effort

Community United Church of Christ, a progressive Christian church in South Boulder, announced Friday that it is committing $40,000 to help residents of San Lazaro Mobile Home Park buy their community.

The contribution comes after an undisclosed buyer offered the full $42.5 million asking price for the Boulder County property, which is home to more than 800 people and represents one of the county’s largest sources of unsubsidized affordable housing. Residents have until Dec. 8 to submit a counteroffer but have yet to secure the financing needed to match the bid. Boulder County commissioners have expressed interest in helping with a purchase but have not committed public funding.

“We believe that it is our job collectively to ensure everyone in Boulder has a place to live,” the Rev. Nicole Lamarche, the church’s lead pastor, said in a statement. “Love calls us to action, especially in a time like this.”

Xcel project to replace aging Shanahan Ridge power line clears open space board

Boulder’s Open Space Board of Trustees voted unanimously to recommend a land-use agreement with Xcel Energy, allowing the utility to replace an aging underground electric line serving the Shanahan Ridge 2 subdivision in south Boulder.

The line, installed in the mid-1970s, is becoming less reliable, according to city staff. Because the neighborhood is entirely electric, a failure could leave residents without power for days or longer.

The replacement line would cross city open space because there is not enough room to install it alongside the existing line while keeping power on during construction. Xcel plans to use trenching and hydrovac excavation to protect mature trees and has committed to restoring landscaping, fences, irrigation systems and driveways damaged by the work. The agreement does not require city council approval.

📖 As Boulder’s power grid falters, Xcel begins major undergrounding projects

Boulder finds more streetlight damage than expected after Xcel purchase

Boulder has identified more damaged and corroded streetlight poles than expected after taking ownership of the system from Xcel Energy, city staff told the Transportation Advisory Board.

The city began purchasing the streetlights from Xcel after renewing its franchise agreement with the utility in 2021. The acquisition was completed in 2024, and the city finished converting the lights to LEDs in April. The changes were expected to save about $1 million annually in operating and maintenance costs. Now, many of the poles need costly repairs or replacement.

“We are identifying more issues than we had anticipated,” project manager Lindsay Merz told the board. The city is developing an inventory of the system’s condition and has proposed spending about $650,000 on maintenance in 2027. If that is insufficient, staff may explore other financing options.

Boulder County launches online reporting for minor crashes

Boulder County residents can now report some minor, non-injury crashes online, reducing calls to the sheriff’s communications center and freeing staff for higher-priority incidents.

The portal can be used for crashes in Lyons, Nederland and Superior, as well as on private property in unincorporated Boulder County. Crashes cannot involve injuries, hit-and-runs or damage to public property. Wildlife collisions are eligible.

Residents should call 911 for crashes on public roads or those involving injuries, suspected impairment, blocked lanes, disabled vehicles or damaged public property. During an “Accident Alert,” some drivers may be directed to report qualifying crashes online rather than wait for a deputy.

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