Xcel Energy, headquartered in Minneapolis, is one of the largest electrical energy providers in Colorado. The company also provides electricity and natural gas to eight states in the upper Midwest and Southeast. Its thermal energy business began in 1998, but its history as an electrical power supplier began more than 100 years ago in many of the states it serves. Xcel Energy serves more than 3.6 million electricity customers and 2 million natural gas customers. It is a forward-thinking energy company when it comes to providing clean power. It has set a carbon reduction goal of 80 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 and has an aspirational goal of offering 100 percent carbon-free electricity to customers by 2050.
Refrigerant monitoring updates were needed at Xcel Energy’s chilled water building in downtown Denver. The different types of refrigerant monitoring systems that were in use offered no communication abilities among plant locations in the city. The thermal energy team was spending time conducting constant walk-throughs of five separate buildings to check the health and functionality of 16 chillers and all related mechanical equipment, including the refrigerant.