Xcel Agrees to Pay $150,000 Settlement

Xcel Energy Inc. will pay $150,000 in penalties for workplace safety violations at their power plant near Georgetown. The Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found these violations after five employees died in a chemical fire at the site.Five California workers died at the Cabin Creek hydroelectric plant on October 2, 2007 after a fire broke out inside a drained water tunnel. Xcel’s statement did not indicate what violations OSHA had found that were acknowledged as part of the settlement.

Xcel released a statement saying, “Immediately after the accident, we conducted an extensive review of our policies and practices and took action to prevent future accidents. We have now reached a fair and reasonable settlement with OSHA in which we have agreed to accept certain citations and to pay $150,000 in assessed penalties. We believe it is in the best interest of all parties involved to move forward and put this matter behind us. We are committed to continuous improvement in every area of our business, and there is nothing more important to us than the safety of our employees, contractors, and the general public.”