The city of Boulder began to evaluate its power supply options in 2005 before the expiry of its electricity franchise with Xcel energy in August 2010. During 2010, after extensive negotiations on a brand new power franchise, the City Council decided not to put the franchise agreement on the ballot for that year to protect the required consent of voters. In its place, the City Council placed a 'Utility Occupation Tax' before the voters. This would replace the franchise charges and provide the city extra time to look for its power alternatives while ensuring that energy services would remain to be available.
In the November 2011 election, voters had to vote on 2 issues related to power. The first asked for authorization to establish a locally managed electricity utility. The utility would be established right after all the costs were quantified and it was established that rates would be no more than the ones of Xcel Energy at the time of acquisition. The second matter requested for an extension and increase in the Utility Occupation Tax to fund the preliminary expenses of establishing the utility.
In December 2010, the Boulder City Council accepted the work plan for the Boulder's Energy Future project. All through 2010 and 2011, the city organized several evaluations to evaluate the power alternatives available through a series of study sessions and public hearings. The city likewise initiated various studies and reports from outside consultants on the feasibility of a local utility as well as a partnership with Xcel Energy which involved wind power.
The Boulder Energy Future project had several goals and objectives. The very first was to guarantee a steady and dependable energy supply for the city. The second was to ensure competitive charges for power after taking into account both short-term and long-term requirements. The third was to enhance the quality of the environment by considerably lowering the emission of carbon. The fourth was to promote localized economic viability even while giving customers a bigger say.
The decision to endorse a locally owned and operated utility was guided by such goals in addition to the task to give skilled professional management of the local utility, setting up plans for current maintenance and system improvement and to create a powerful customer support approach in responding to emergencies. Another job of the venture was to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, which can be subject to shortages and price variations. In analyzing renewable sources of power, potential risks regarding supply and disruptions had to be considered and appropriate mechanisms were developed to manage these risks.
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