🌱 Xcel Bills Tripled With New Meters + Hydro Power Production Drops

Hey, neighbors! It's me, Brad K. Evans, your host of the Daily. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about what's going on in town, including updates on...

• Lakewood tenants' electric bills triple after new meters installed.
• Colorado's hydro power generation drops by nearly 20 percent in 2022.
• Metro Denver's car commutes dropped by more than two minutes during the pandemic.

---

Wednesday's weather: Sunshine and warm. High: 75 Low: 43.

---

🏡 Attention, real estate pros in Lakewood! We're now offering an exclusive sponsorship opportunity for an agent interested in attracting local clients and standing apart from the competition. Click here to learn more.

---

Here are the top stories in Lakewood today:

1. Lakewood residents' electric bills nearly tripled. Tenants at a Lakewood apartment complex discovered that their Xcel bills had more than doubled after a new set of electric meters were installed. Neither the management company nor Xcel would help figure out what the problem was. (7News)
2. Colorado's production of hydro power drops by 20 percent. The Upper Colorado River system's electric power generation for 2022, which ended on Sept. 30, was down about by nearly 20 percent when compared with 2021. The outlook for the future is bleak too. (CO Sun)
3. Where is the money coming from in this November's U.S Senate election? Turns out this year's race between U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet and Joe O'Dea hasn't brought in the typical haul in terms of what has been the norm in past years. (CPR)
4. Metro area commutes got shorter between 2019 and 2021. It's probably because of the pandemic, but the metro area's commute times dropped by two minutes. With more people working from home and fewer commuting by cars, the pandemic has reshaped the traditional daily grind across the country. (Axios)

---

Today in Lakewood:

• West Colfax Community Association: Monthly meeting. (7:30 a.m.)
• Library for All: Interactive Programs for Adults with Disabilities. (1 p.m.)
• Microsoft Word basics: Columbine Library. (1 p.m.)
• Up Lit Book Group: "Cackle" by Rachel Harrison. (2 p.m.)
• Intercambio: Spanish conversation table. (6:30 p.m.)

---

From my notebook:

• Have you seen the cone in your local school zone? Sgt. Coney and his Lakewood Police crew are out in force around Lakewood school zones to make sure no one is driving carelessly around children going to school. (Lakewood PD)

---

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Lakewood Fitness and Massage — (Visit website)
• Add your business here

Events:

• Breast Ultrasound Screening Coming Direct to You! (Oct. 22)
• Add your event

---

Alrighty, you're all good for today. I'll see you back in your inbox Thursday morning with a new update! — Brad K. Evans

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Lakewood Daily? Contact me at lakewoodpatch@gmail.com