Colorado
Many Colorado homes and power grids aren’t ready for more electric vehicle charging. Here’s what experts say needs to be done.
With hundreds of thousands more electric vehicles expected on Colorado highways in the next few years, CBS News Colorado has learned many power grids aren’t yet ready to handle the added power demands to charge those vehicles.
One expert tells us upgrading power grids in time for the state’s goal of 940,000 electric vehicles by 2030 will be “challenging, to say the least.”
Electrician Rory Berumen, who is also the Executive Director of the National Electrical Contractor’s Association’s Rocky Mountain Chapter, has a front-row seat to long-term planning conversations to update Colorado’s electric infrastructure to meet the needs of more EVs charging in homes and businesses.
“To make sure we can perform all these works with the deadlines that have been provided, it’s going to be challenging, to say the least, and there’s going to be a lot of work that’s going to need to take place to ensure that we can do that,” he said. “So, I think some of the goals are very lofty… we’re in meetings, and they’re very contested from both sides through there, but I know at least from our standpoint, we’re just trying to make sure we’ve got properly trained people in place that can do the work.”
He says right now, many of Colorado’s older electric grids aren’t built to handle the power demands of EV charging, so hypothetically, if suddenly everyone in one of those neighborhoods had an EV charging at once, that could cause black outs.
Or, he says, a more likely possibility would be that the demand might eventually cause some customers to have to sacrifice other electric luxuries.
“You can have outages,” Berumen said. “Or it’s called a brown out, like you read like in California where they’re putting right now these meters up on all the homes where people can’t turn on the air conditioning at certain times, it’ll be the same thing.”
But with many drivers on wait lists for some EVs and many other drivers worried about the potential mileage range these vehicles can offer, not everyone will be switching to electric overnight. Berumen says those factors will help buy some time for power companies to make changes before black or brown outs become a problem.
However, he says supply chain and manpower challenges will still create big obstacles for critical grid improvements.
“I’ve got to tell you to make sure right now (there’s a need to secure more) transformers. You can’t get enough transformers. Some of them are on two year waits, so, they can build them right now, but if we can’t get all the parts, all the equipment and everything to put them in, it’s going to create some lag time,” Berumen said. “I think those are two big issues. It’s going to be supply chain demand, and it’s going to be manpower shortages that are going to really hold us up if we can make these dates or not.”
Power companies say they’re preparing: “Proactive distribution system planning is so critical”
Executives at the Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association agree that grid updates are going to be critical over the next 10 even 20 years.
“There is definitely going to be a requirement to manage the distribution grids better, and that’s something that we’ve been working on for the last couple of years is that how do you control EV charging,” says Tri-State’s Chief Energy Innovations Officer Reg Rudolph. “What we’re trying to work on is developing and designing programs that control that demand so that we can balance the the existing infrastructure and with demand response, and controlling chargers, and so forth, so that we don’t have to make those infrastructure investments probably as fast as we would have otherwise.”
As a co-op, Tri-State sells power to electric companies across Colorado. Rudolph says they’re working with their members to help install new charging infrastructure in rural areas.
“One of the biggest challenges with electric vehicles is the public infrastructure, and the infrastructure at the residential level,” Rudolph said. “We’re working with our member systems and their end US consumers to provide rebates to evaluate different technologies. What are the best chargers that can be used? On the public infrastructure charging aspect of it, how do you build a regional network? And a lot of the challenges that we face is that anywhere between 50 and 100 miles is where you’re going going to need a DC fast charger and a lot of times in the rural areas, there isn’t that electrical infrastructure to meet those needs.”
Xcel Energy also says it’s working proactively on the challenges ahead.
“That’s definitely on our radar, and that’s where I think this proactive distribution system planning is so critical,” said Nadia El Mallakh, the Vice President of Clean Transportation and Strategic Partnerships for Xcel.
She says while there is some time before everyone makes the switch, “it’s clearly picking up pace.”
So, she says Xcel is spending $50 million on what she calls “no regrets” investments to trucking corridor grids.
“These are areas where we’ve looked at the system, and we’ve looked at light, and medium, and heavy duty trucking, particularly also along corridors, and where there’s a lot of density to say, ‘okay, what are some upgrades we can make now that are no regrets, and so that the grid can be more ready when these heavier duty EVs come onto the road,’” El Mallakh said. “The great thing is as businesses transition those vehicles over, we see significant carbon emission reductions, but sometimes those can take longer times, because they can trigger more grid upgrades. So, we’re really excited to be doing this.”
El Mallakh also says Xcel is working on advanced metering technology that will help inform other grid update decisions. Read more about those plans by clicking here.
“We can more quickly see and isolate where an outage is, what’s caused it, and how quickly, even sometimes remotely, can repair it. This is going to be really important for EVs in the future,” she said. “We’re planning right now on being able to to determine where we’re seeing high levels of EVs, and that’s going to help us with prioritization of proactive system upgrades.”
Experts also tell CBS News Colorado that changes at a state legislative level will need to be made, including items like financial supports, streamlining permitting processes, and incentivizing the expansion of the electrician workforce.
“I think a big key piece is making sure the regulators and the legislators support us, being able to make proactive distribution system investments that are efficient and wise and really leveraging our customer programs to reward our customers to say, ‘hey, if you charge off peak, that’s great for the grid, it’s great for your pocketbook, and that helps us do efficient grid upgrades,’ so, that we’re not over building, but we’re not under building,” El Mallakh said.
Many individual homeowners will also need to update their electric systems to accommodate the power demands of EV charging. Here’s some expert advice to consider.
Berumen says while industries figure out major grid fixes to accommodate new EV technology, there may also be some important electric upgrades your own home will need if you’re wanting to hop on the EV train.
If your home is an older home with a lower amp panel, he says you’ll need to hire an expert to determine if you should replace your panel to a 200 amp panel that can handle higher power. That’s an upgrade that could cost up to $4,000.
“If you have a 60 amp or smaller panel, you’re probably going to need to upgrade your service,” Berumen said. “New homes are going to have maybe 200 amp services. There’s going to be a lot of homes out there with 100 amp service, that doesn’t mean that you’re going to have to replace the panel, but a load calculation should be done (before installing an EV charger).”
He also says it will be important to keep in mind where your electric panel is located and if special wiring will need to be installed to ensure your charger can sit in the most convenient place for your at-home parking.
“If your panel is already in the garage, your installation might cost a lot less, so that’s why I’d recommend you get an electrician to come out, so you can plan your costs and nothing surprises you,” Berumen said.
El Mallakh with Xcel says her company is offering rebates to customers to help offset some of the costs of installing a new EV charger.
If you’re interested in evaluating some rebate and incentive programs for EVs, click here to see Xcel’s rebate programs for residents, and here for commercial businesses.
Right now, power companies say it’s better on the grid to charge your electric vehicle overnight, when there’s less demand from other appliances on the power grid, but that can come with safety risks if something is wrong with your car’s lithium ion battery.
There was an explosion at a garage in Erie when a vehicle’s lithium battery was smoking, and firefighters applied water to it.
Firefighters recommend drivers should be around when you charge your EV, in case something goes wrong, so you can call 911.
So what should you do? Charge overnight to avoid stressing the grid, or charge during the day when you’re awake to be able to keep an eye on things?
Berumen says there’s a good compromise: charge overnight, but set the charging at a lower power level so it charges more slowly and safely.
“I only use 80% of the capacity that I’m supposed to be using to charge,” he explained. “So, I think we have a 50 amp breaker in there, I’m using well under that. In a lot of the new cars you can set that in your car, and you can set up the charge time, so they actually stop and start at certain times, as well.”
“All hands on deck” effort required moving forward
Bottom line, experts tell CBS News Colorado EVs are an environmentally friendly, fun-to-drive way of the future that will also ultimately be more cost effective for consumers than gas-powered vehicles, but they say it’s important for homeowners, power companies, and state leaders alike to do some homework before we can get to 940,000 EVs in Colorado by 2030.
“With a growing number of charging stations popping up nationwide, electric vehicles are becoming an increasingly attractive option for many drivers,” Berumen said.
He says the need to upgrade infrastructure on a small scale in private homes and businesses, and on a larger scale for public power grids, has made it a great time to consider becoming an electrician.
“There is a lot of work, and we’re going to need to get a lot of people trained to do the work,” he said.
Some experts in the industry say to ensure public infrastructure is adequately updated by 2030, it will require an “all hands on deck” and “can do” approach.
“I think there’s been a lot of good progress on things like codes and making sure that when we’re building new buildings and homes that we’re integrating this into it, you know whether it’s EV ready or other electrification forms ready that helps, and then really coordinating with the utility on that, so, I think making sure that there’s support for early and often coordination, making sure that there are mechanisms for utilities to lean in and be proactive and invest smartly and wisely,” she said. “It’s a whole system, so, distribution is critical… we want to think about the whole system holistically, and integrate this all.”
Colorado
College football live scores, games, updates: Indiana at Ohio State, Colorado at Kansas and more
The penultimate week of the 2024 regular season is here.
The weekend features three games between ranked teams, including two monster matchups that pit a traditional power program against a surprising contender. All eyes will be on these David vs. Goliath matchups and more.
Here’s what we’re following on Saturday. (All times are Eastern and all odds are from BetMGM.)
Time: Noon | TV: Fox | Line: Ohio State -13.5 | Total: 51.5
The College Football Playoff discussion has been unfairly dominated by Indiana’s weak strength of schedule, so here’s the Hoosiers’ chance to prove their 10-0 record is no fluke. Indiana is powered by an efficient passing offense led by fringe Heisman contender Kurtis Rourke and a defense that’s forcing nearly two turnovers per game. Indiana will have to contend with a Buckeyes team that’s giving up the fewest points per game of any team in college football.
Time: 3:30 p.m. | TV: Fox | Line: Colorado -3 | Total: 59.5
The Buffaloes are two wins from clinching a spot in the Big 12 title game, but the first test will be a Kansas team that just ended BYU’s perfect season. Colorado has scored at least 34 points in each of those wins as Shedeur Sanders is playing like one of the best quarterbacks in the country. Kansas (4-6) isn’t far from having a winning record as the team has lost five games by one possession.
Time: 3:30 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Line: Arizona State -3 | Total: 48.5
It’s time to start paying attention to Arizona State, which has fought its way into the Big 12 title picture thanks to an offense led by RB Cam Skattebo and his 1,500-plus all-purpose yards and 13 touchdowns. BYU can still make the conference title game with two more wins despite last week’s loss to Kansas. The loser of this game is on the outside looking in.
Time: 7 p.m. | TV: NBC | Line: Notre Dame -14.5 | Total: 44.5
How long can Army (9-0) keep its magical season going against Notre Dame at Yankee Stadium? The Black Knights’ triple-option offense is not built to post a quick comeback, but they’ve given up just 10 points per game this season, albeit against a manageable schedule. Notre Dame isn’t far behind, giving up 11.4 ppg. This game is likely a playoff eliminator, so the stakes are sky high.
Time: 7:30 p.m. | TV: ESPN | Line: Texas A&M -2.5 | Total: 46.5
The Tigers are 1-5 in the SEC this season and need to beat both Texas A&M and Alabama to make a bowl game. A&M is tied with Texas atop the SEC and needs the win to make next week’s rivalry game a semifinal for the SEC title game. Can Auburn play the spoiler?
Colorado
Children victimized in Northern Colorado after convicted sex offender allegedly commits disgusting act of food tampering
A convicted sex offender who allegedly contaminated cupcakes for a child’s birthday party with his bodily fluids will remain behind bars through at least Dec. 20. Stephen Masalta is accused of masturbating in a Fort Collins Safeway grocery store, contaminating cupcakes, fruits, donuts and frosting at his former place of employment.
Masalta was first arrested by Fort Collins Police Services in early 2024 after the department spent months trying to find him. Police responded to dozens of reports of a short man exposing himself outside of coffee shops in Fort Collins and Loveland at early morning hours. The man was regularly described as being short, either White or Asian, wearing a mask and dark clothing.
After months of investigations, FCPS identified and arrested Masalta.
According to documents obtained by CBS News Colorado’s Dillon Thomas, police located many concerning pieces of evidence at Masalta’s property during a search warrant. That included clothing matching descriptions of the suspect at the coffee shops, several phones and hard drives with explicit content on them and a car that contained contents like binoculars. Police reported that they ran a black light through his vehicle and found the driver seat was covered in bodily fluid.
Police also reportedly found images on Masalta’s electronics that they believed to be both clothed and exposed photos of women who police did not believe were aware they were being photographed. Police said Masalta had taken notes about the sexual acts he wanted to do to the women and had even drawn sexual images over some of the photos.
However, potentially of greatest concern to some, police said they located videos of Masalta allegedly contaminating food items at Safeway off of Harmony Road in southern Fort Collins.
Police described videos of a man, who they presented as Masalta, touching pastries and other baked goods at Safeway with his genitals.
Police also said they saw videos of Masalta releasing bodily fluids onto fresh fruit, a bucket of pastry frosting and even onto a custom order of cupcakes. Fort Collins police said they were able to tell based from the video that the cupcakes were clearly decorated for a child’s birthday and even still had the customer’s order form taped to them.
Those cupcakes were then served at a child’s birthday party.
The parent of two of the children attending the party, ages 2 and 5, agreed to share their traumatic story exclusively with Thomas. However, because her children were victims of a sex crime, CBS News Colorado agreed to not share her identity.
“When police first come to your door, what goes through your head?” Thomas asked.
“I thought my husband was hurt,” she said.
While she was fortunate that her husband was okay, she would quickly learn her young children had been victimized.
“They asked me if my children, and or my husband and I, had eaten cupcakes that were served there,” she said.
“Could you have ever fathomed what they were about to tell you?” Thomas asked.
“No. I don’t think anybody could have ever imagined this,” she said.
Detectives then told her that they had confirmed the cupcakes her family consumed were the cupcakes seen in the videos allegedly found on Masalta’s devices.
Police said Masalta was employed at the Safeway at the time. Officers reportedly went to the bakery department and were able to confirm that the room the videos were recorded in was also in the Harmony Safeway.
“When you found out it wasn’t just you and your trust violated, but it was your children as well, what was that like?” Thomas asked.
“Luckily, they are so young that we haven’t communicated any of this to them. But, we as a family had to go get HIV and STD testing,” she said. “All the joy that comes with a birthday and cupcakes and all the amazing celebrations that happen with that kind of thing is now, in my mind, always associated with that. And, watching them enjoy those things is not the same anymore.”
Masalta, a registered sex offender, was previously arrested in California for placing video recording devices inside church bathrooms to see girls and women using toilets.
The woman Thomas spoke with said Masalta’s alleged actions in Colorado have tarnished her ability to enjoy everyday life. She noted she has to drive by the Safeway in question twice daily. She also said, when she goes to grocery stores now, she can’t see the bakery section as normally as she once could.
“You should be able to go to a kid’s birthday party and not worry about eating cupcakes,” she said.
After being arrested by FCPS, Masalta’s defense attorney and the prosecution reached a plea agreement. In exchange for a guilty plea, Masalta would’ve been sentenced to 364 days in jail with credit for time served. He would also have to undergo 10 years of intensive sexual offender probation supervision. The deal also had other financial stipulations. However, due to spending most of 2024 in jail, Masalta was nearly released to community corrections after the agreement would have been processed through sentencing by a judge.
However, Masalta was not accepted into community corrections, also known as a halfway house. The plea agreement was then voided, as acceptance into community corrections was listed as a deal breaker for the agreement which Masalta had already signed.
The woman CBS News Colorado interviewed was one of just several victims of Masalta’s alleged actions that told Thomas they felt the initial plea was poorly constructed.
“According to the documents we obtained, he was convicted of sex crimes in California. He is accused of exposing himself at coffee shops. He is accused of contaminating food your children ate. What was you response when you saw the plea agreement he was offered?” Thomas asked.
“Disappointment,” she said. “I don’t think what they have done is enough in my opinion,” she said. “In our opinion the harsh end of the spectrum should be given with the pattern and reach of these crimes.”
A Larimer County judge rescheduled sentencing for Dec. 20, giving several weeks for Masalta and the prosecution to potentially iron out a new plea agreement. It is also possible that the case could now more forward toward trial.
District Attorney Gordon McLaughlin’s office said they were unable to conduct an interview for this report due to the case remaining open as of Friday. However, they issued the following statement.
“As we’ve stated in previous hearings of this case, the law is completely inadequate to account for the nature of these incidents. We are constrained by the law and the required concurrent sentencing of most of these counts, and our goal remains to piece together the greatest level of accountability possible for the community. We are committed to doing everything we can to deter this type of behavior and get justice for these victims who are rightfully traumatized.”
The woman CBS News Colorado spoke with said her family is hoping the plea agreement falling through will result in Masalta being convicted and sentenced to extended time in prison.
“Has this changed how you see and experience life forever?” Thomas asked.
“It does. It is so upsetting,” she said as she wiped away tears. “I hope someday I will be able to move forward and not have that happen. I feel very upset that that has been something that has been taken from us.”
Colorado
Colorado funeral home owners plead guilty to corpse abuse after nearly 200 bodies found decomposing
The owners of a Colorado funeral home accused of piling hundreds of bodies in room-temperature conditions inside a dilapidated building and giving loved ones concrete instead of ashes have pleaded guilty to corpse abuse.
Jon and Carie Hallford, who own the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, pleaded guilty to 191 counts of abuse of a corpse on Friday.
“The bodies were [lying] on the ground, stacked on shelves, left on gurneys, stacked on top of each other or just piled in rooms,” prosecutor Rachael Powell said in court.
Their loved ones are “intensely and forever outraged,” she added. Some of the families were in the courtroom when they pleaded guilty.
MIXED-UP REMAINS, ROTTING BODIES, FAKE ASHES: HOW GRIEVING FAMILIES UNCOVERED THESE 5 FUNERAL HOME HORRORS
Jon and Carie Hallford, who own the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Colorado Springs, Colorado, pleaded guilty to 191 counts of abuse of a corpse on Friday. (Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office via AP, File)
Crystina Page, whose son died in 2019, said outside the courtroom on Friday: “He laid in the corner of an inoperable fridge, dumped out of his body bag with rats and maggots eating his face for four years. Now every moment that I think of my son, I’m having to think of Jon and Carie, and that’s not going away.”
The Hallfords also faced charges of theft, money laundering and forgery, which were dismissed with their plea deals.
The couple spent $882,300 in COVID relief funds on things like vacations, cosmetic surgery, car and tuition for their child.
Jon Hallford could serve 20 years in prison under the plea deal and Carie Hallford could serve 15 to 20 years.
Six people who objected to the plea deals, calling their recommended sentences insufficient, will get a chance to speak before they’re sentenced in April.
Fremont County deputies guard the road leading to the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colo., Oct. 5, 2023. (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP/The Gazette via AP)
MOURNING LOVED ONES TARGETED BY ‘DESPICABLE’ FUNERAL HOME SCAM
If the judge rejects the plea deal, the case may still go to trial.
The Hallfords already pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud in October in connection with their misuse of funds.
The accusations go back to 2019 and the improperly stored bodies were discovered after neighbors reported a stench coming from the building.
A hearse and debris can be seen at the rear of the Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose, Colo., Oct. 5, 2023. (Jerilee Bennett/The Gazette via AP)
Authorities in hazmat gear found bodies stacked on top of each other, some so decayed they couldn’t be identified, and the place was infested with bugs.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Following the gruesome discovery, Colorado has tightened funeral home regulations.
Fox News Digital’s Greg Wehner and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Fifth Third Bank picks new president for northern Ohio
Texas’ Quinn Ewers competes against Simone Biles, others in DICK’S Sporting Goods competition
Oklahoma-Alabama GameDay Preview: Under the Radar
Close encounters with the Juneau kind: Woman reports strange lights in Southeast Alaska skies
How to watch Arizona State football vs. UCF: TV channel, live stream, prediction
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Who is Pam Bondi, Trump's new pick for attorney general?
At least 11 killed and dozens injured in Israeli strikes on Beirut
Trump announces picks for FDA, CDC; Novartis seeks bolt-on deals, raises guidance; RFK Jr., Elon Musk may find banning ads difficult; and more
From CDC to labor secretary: See Trump's top picks for Cabinet roles
WHO says mpox remains public health emergency of international concern
-
Business1 week ago
Column: OpenAI just scored a huge victory in a copyright case … or did it?
-
Health1 week agoBird flu leaves teen in critical condition after country's first reported case
-
Business6 days agoColumn: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
-
Science4 days agoTrump nominates Dr. Oz to head Medicare and Medicaid and help take on 'illness industrial complex'
-
Politics5 days agoTrump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
-
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25739950/247386_Elon_Musk_Open_AI_CVirginia.jpg "Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI")
Technology5 days agoInside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI
-
Lifestyle6 days agoSome in the U.S. farm industry are alarmed by Trump's embrace of RFK Jr. and tariffs
-
World6 days agoProtesters in Slovakia rally against Robert Fico’s populist government
