October 8, 2026 Community and Council Forum

The City of Boulder’s October 8, 2026 Community and Council Forum focused on power reliability and resilience, as staff gathered input for a draft roadmap expected by the end of 2026, with further council discussion planned for early 2027. Staff described recent outages, wildfire-related public safety power shutoffs, existing work with Xcel Energy, and potential approaches ranging from emergency preparedness and community resilience hubs to battery storage, microgrids, backup power, and grid hardening or undergrounding. Staff said the cost of undergrounding all power lines would be very large, but the transcript gives no complete estimate. Participants asked about budget implications; staff explained that some activities are already included in the 2027 budget and work plan, while proposed additions and larger investments still need development and cost analysis.

Community members urged the city to pursue utility accountability and regulatory advocacy alongside local resilience measures, and raised options such as rebates or low-interest financing for backup systems, streamlined solar and battery permitting, and support for vulnerable residents and businesses. They also called for clearer, measurable goals and timelines, and argued that preparedness and infrastructure improvements should proceed in parallel. The discussion included no contract awards, vendor selections, bid approvals, or formal spending votes. Informal dot voting helped identify priorities, and staff will incorporate the forum’s input into the draft roadmap.