Lakeville hangar owner hit with unexplained $61K Xcel bill
Lakeville hangar owner Terry Zeien says Xcel Energy charged him more than $61,000 after unexplained meter spikes at his Airlake Airport hangar, leaving a $61,445.21 balance as of Sept. 2.[1]
Some monthly bills topped $10,000 and one month showed 36,754 kilowatt-hours.[1] Xcel says the meter is properly connected, untampered and serves three hangars while it continues investigating.[1]
Zeien has had Xcel service at Airlake Airport for about 35 years and says his bills were historically under $40 a month until a digital meter was installed.[1] After the meter change, his first spike on May 26, 2025 jumped a bill from $0 to about $3,000.[1]
Zeien says he has called Xcel about nine times, submitted to an internal audit and hired master electricians, none of whom found evidence of theft or a load that could safely draw that much power.[1] Xcel said the shared service could be a factor as it investigates, but the charges have left Zeien facing what he calls ruinous debt.[1]
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📌 Key Facts
- Location: Airlake Airport in Lakeville, where hangar owner Terry Zeien has had Xcel service for about 35 years
- Bill history: Charges historically under $40/month until after a digital meter was installed; first spike on May 26, 2025 jumped from $0 to $3,000
- Current exposure: As of a Sept. 2 statement, Zeien’s account shows a $61,445.21 balance, with some monthly bills exceeding $10,000 and one month billed for 36,754 kWh
- Customer efforts: Zeien says he has called Xcel about nine times, had an internal Xcel audit and brought in master electricians, none of whom found evidence of theft or a load that could safely draw that much power
- Utility response: Xcel says the meter is properly connected, untampered, and serves three hangars, and that the shared service could be a factor in the high usage as it continues its investigation
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