Xcel Energy 2012 Annual Report Download - page 9

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Our environmental leadership strategy
works because it is a balanced
strategy. It assures a diverse portfolio
of energy resources. It meets the
interests of our communities in clean
energy leadership, while preserving
system reliability and maintaining
competitive prices. A recent filing to
add 200 megawatts of wind energy
in Minnesota is a good example of
our strategy in action. Although we
are ahead of Minnesota’s renewable
energy requirements, this filing gives
us an opportunity to advance clean
energy if it makes sense and adds
value for customers. Being able to
choose whether an environmental
project truly benefits customers
is a good place to be.
We also offer customers ways to
personally support clean energy. Our
Windsource program, which allows
them to include wind power as a
primary resource, is one example.
Our Solar*Rewards® program offers
incentives to customers to install
solar systems on their homes or
businesses. The Solar Electric Power
Association ranks us among the top
10 U.S. utilities for solar capacity.
For the fifth consecutive year,
Xcel Energy also was selected for
the Carbon Disclosure Leadership
Index within the S&P 500. The
index highlights companies that are
transparent in disclosing climate
change information, manage internal
data well and understand climate
change issues.
Preparing for the future, we actively
work to enable clean technologies
such as natural gas and electric
vehicles, and we fund research
to make renewable energy more
viable on a large scale.
encourage their participation, which
goes far beyond a Saturday or two,
with paid time off for volunteering
and matching gifts to non-profit
agencies that employees support
with either their time or money.
Our community and environmental
efforts were recognized in 2012 when
we were named to the 2012–2013
Dow Jones Sustainability Index for
North America—for the sixth year.
The index tracks the performance of
the top 20 percent of the 600 largest
Canadian and U.S. companies in the
Dow Jones Global Total Stock Market
Index that are considered best in class
for sustainability.
APPRECIATING
OUR EMPLOYEES
Xcel Energy employees demonstrate
their talent, dedication and expertise
every day. That’s especially apparent
when they pitch in to help after a
natural disaster.
In 2012, we assisted Long Island
Power Authority and American
Electric Power (AEP) in the wake of
Hurricane Sandy with employees and
contractors from all of our operating
companies. We also sent crews to
help AEP restore power in Ohio, after
violent straight-line winds cut a path
of destruction from Illinois to the
East Coast last summer.
To recognize that effort, the
Edison Electric Institute gave us its
Emergency Assistance Award for
outstanding efforts in mutual-aid
assistance. Even more important was
the fact that our employees worked
safely in the kind of challenging
conditions that frequently follow a
storm. Xcel Energy is considered a
In the next few years, the utility
industry will spend billions to comply
with a new and expanding list of
environmental regulations. These
regulations will be challenging to
Xcel Energy, too, but our challenge is
far more manageable because of our
environmental leadership strategy. It
has reduced both our cost and risk,
while improving the environment
for our customers and the nation.
SUPPORTING OUR
COMMUNITIES
As we work with customers, we also
recognize that the communities we
serve are integral to our long-term
success. Our support includes funding
from the Xcel Energy Foundation and
the volunteer energy and financial
contributions of our employees
and retirees.
Last year, the Xcel Energy Foundation
contributed almost $4 million in
grants to promote job training
and placement, science and math
education, environmental stewardship
and access to the arts.
No effort demonstrates our
commitment better than our annual
United Way campaign. In 2012,
employees and retirees pledged
$2.8 million to United Way, a new
record for us. With our company
match, we’ll invest more than
$5.5 million in communities large
and small across our service territory.
Employees also participated in a
variety of volunteer activities during
two Saturdays that the company set
aside to focus on supporting
the communities we serve.
About 1,700 participants helped
65 non-profit organizations. We
XCEL ENERGY 7ANNUAL REPORT 2012