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Xcel Energy Reaches $640 Million Settlement in Marshall Fire Lawsuits

Victims are expected to receive confidential payouts by year’s end.

Overview

  • Agreements in principle with Qwest and Teleport resolve consolidated claims by homeowners, insurers, businesses and public entities, with no admission of fault.
  • Roughly 4,000 plaintiffs from about 300 lawsuits are covered, averting a liability trial that was scheduled to start this week in Boulder County.
  • Xcel says about $350 million of the total will be funded by its remaining insurance coverage, and the deal still requires final documentation and plaintiff opt-ins.
  • Individual awards will vary based on documented losses and will be kept confidential under nondisclosure agreements, with payments expected to begin within 60 days and finish by year’s end.
  • Officials previously concluded the fire began with two separate ignitions — a reignited debris burn and a likely powerline spark — and prosecutors declined to file criminal charges.