Electricity in Colorado

Electricity Rates, Plans & Statistics

Electricity Coverage & Statistics in Colorado

  • Population
    see rank
    5,773,714
  • Total Production
    see rank
    56,737,718 MWh / 9.83 MWh per capita
  • Total Consumption
    see rank
    57,091,228 MWh / 9.89 MWh per capita
  • Total Production from Renewable
    see rank
    18,573,878 MWh / 3.22 MWh per capita
  • CO2 Emissions from Consumption
    see rank
    31,092,840,580 kg / 5,385.24 kg per capita
  • Total Production from Non-Renewable
    see rank
    38,164,096 MWh / 6.61 MWh per capita
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Residential Electricity Bills & Rates in Colorado

Colorado residential electric rates are highest in January and the highest average bill is in August.

Historical Electricity Rates:

Price Per kWhAverage Bill$0.139/kWh$0.115/kWh$128.61/mo.$66.17/mo.
32nd13.44¢Average residential price per kWh in the state of Colorado
4th$96.76Average residential monthly electricity bill for Colorado Residents

Energy Profile of Colorado

MonthlyWe report production data as it is published. Due to reporting methods and timing, data from 2021 and 2020 may be incomplete. Data is released in full each fall for the previous calendar year. For clarification on any data points, please contact our team.
AnnualAnnual data for 2020 will be finalized in the fall of 2021. Until that time, some data may be incomplete. Data for 2021 is a summation of all information released to date, which may only represent a portion of the actual production that has occurred. For clarification on any data points, please contact our team.

Colorado's Electricity Prices and Usage

The Colorado residential electricity rate in 2022 currently averages 13.44 cents per kilowatt hour while the national average price is 13.99 cents. Colorado ranks as the 32nd lowest priced state in the United States based on average electric rate. Consumers in the state don't have much choice in their electricity company due to the fact that Colorado has a regulated electricity market based on the resident's home address. The state produces 56,737,717.53 megawatt hours from its power plants, which is the 31st highest total generation for a state in the US. The state has a shortage of 353510.47299999 megawatt hours due to citizens using 0.62% more electricity than the state produces. This results in the necessity to import additional megawatt hours from outside of the state. The state is ranked 15th in the US for percentage of electricity produced from sustainable fuel sources, creating 32.74% of their electricity from these sustainable sources. The state is the 38th largest producer of electricity per capita, averaging 9.83 megawatt hours produced per person a year.

Residential Electricity Providers in Colorado

ProviderService TypeResidential Rate (¢)Residential Average Bill ($)Residential Sales (MWh)Residential Revenues ($)State Production (MWh)
Public Service Company of ColoradoBUNDLED12.9081.239,960,5481,284,955,04925,158,461.62
Intermountain Rural ElectricBUNDLED13.68123.171,674,984229,098,00064,561.89
Colorado Springs UtilitiesBUNDLED14.0989.851,584,429223,183,5173,847,700
United PowerBUNDLED13.34114.73925,488123,451,754
Holy Cross EnergyBUNDLED11.67266.38659,25276,910,50020,390.65
Black Hills EnergyBUNDLED17.74107.4635,712112,785,7031,716,694
Mountain View Electric AssociationBUNDLED14.42135.14589,32084,957,800
Fort Collins UtilitiesBUNDLED11.8276.21534,68763,213,665
Poudre Valley REABUNDLED11.91111.76488,06158,110,6163,223
City of Longmont ElectricBUNDLED10.2574.33340,86334,950,700
54 providers total

Power Plants in Colorado

PlantCity/CountyPrimary Fuel TypeProduction (MWh)Emission (KG)Emissions/MWh (KG/MWh)Toxic Chemical ReleaseClosing Date
Comanche (CO)Holy Cross Energy (0.25%)Public Service Company of Colorado (98.96%)Intermountain Rural Electric (0.79%)
Pueblo Coal 8,175,6028,133,630,608.04994.87
Craig (CO)Tri State Generation (52.45%)Platte River Power Authority (11.26%)PacifiCorp (12.06%)Public Service Company of Colorado (6.08%)Salt River Project (18.14%)
Moffat County Coal 7,283,8407,362,018,085.571,010.73Yes12/2029
Fort St VrainPublic Service Company of Colorado (100.00%)
Weld County Natural Gas 3,090,6541,319,491,357.66426.93
CherokeePublic Service Company of Colorado (100.00%)
North Washington CDP Natural Gas 3,005,9521,362,298,414.68453.2
PawneePublic Service Company of Colorado (100.00%)
Morgan County Coal 2,871,522.013,104,264,560.21,081.05Yes
HaydenPublic Service Company of Colorado (56.29%)PacifiCorp (18.50%)Salt River Project (25.21%)
Routt County Coal 2,474,8382,481,800,529.051,002.81Yes12/2028
Rush Creek WindPublic Service Company of Colorado (100.00%)
Elbert County Wind 2,128,334
Front Range Power PlantColorado Springs Utilities (100.00%)
El Paso County Natural Gas 2,014,975817,203,590405.57
Rocky Mountain Energy CenterPublic Service Company of Colorado (100.00%)
Weld County Natural Gas 1,985,744831,992,048.72418.98
RawhidePlatte River Power Authority (100.00%)
Larimer County Coal 1,864,2101,786,524,278.94958.33
61 power plants total

Quick Facts

By megawatt hours sold, the largest provider in the state of Colorado is Public Service Company of Colorado.

Colorado is the 14th highest producing state of solar powered electricity.

Colorado is the 22nd highest polluting state based on emissions per capita. The state emits 5,385.24 kilograms per person per year of CO2 gases.

Colorado has had its CO2 pollution from electricity consumption rise 6.54% in the last 12 months.

Colorado produces roughly 4.09 megawatt hours of electricity using natural gas per person living in the state. This is the 16th highest amount by a state in the nation.

Colorado consumers enjoy an average monthly residential electric bill of $96.76, which is 21.88% below the national average bill of $123.86.

CountyPopulationProvidersPlantsResidential Rate (¢)Residential Avg. Electric Bill
Adams County519,5725413.49$120.81/mo
Alamosa County16,3763115.64$102.57/mo
Arapahoe County655,0703113.43$109.58/mo
Archuleta County13,359115.81$106.15/mo
Baca County3,506316.60$124.61/mo
Bent County5,650316.76$123.38/mo
Boulder County330,7586212.45$95.09/mo
Broomfield County74,112313.14$99.26/mo
Chaffee County19,476416.65$101.11/mo
Cheyenne County1,7482113.19$128.54/mo
Clear Creek County9,3974113.08$91.64/mo
Conejos County7,461413.87$88.79/mo
Costilla County3,499415.42$103.69/mo
Crowley County5,922216.97$119.93/mo
Custer County4,704317.29$108.38/mo
Delta County31,196214.92$111.31/mo
Denver County715,5223112.96$85.71/mo
Dolores County2,326215.64$114.95/mo
Douglas County357,978413.67$119.89/mo
Eagle County55,7314212.18$209.22/mo
El Paso County730,3956815.11$120.87/mo
Elbert County26,0622114.27$132.73/mo
Fremont County48,939617.59$107.10/mo
Garfield County61,685512.78$124.69/mo
Gilpin County5,808313.29$110.68/mo
Grand County15,7174113.11$107.22/mo
Gunnison County16,918316.78$113.24/mo
Hinsdale County788416.59$113.83/mo
Huerfano County6,8202116.00$112.72/mo
Jefferson County582,9104113.34$105.86/mo
Kiowa County1,446116.65$125.03/mo
Kit Carson County7,0872313.04$128.65/mo
La Plata County55,6381115.81$106.15/mo
Lake County7,4363114.28$88.47/mo
Larimer County359,0665411.97$110.50/mo
Las Animas County14,5555116.92$164.00/mo
Lincoln County5,6753414.56$132.08/mo
Logan County21,5286212.80$115.41/mo
Mesa County155,703313.48$107.99/mo
Mineral County865216.51$110.22/mo
Moffat County13,2923112.05$105.57/mo
Montezuma County25,849115.51$105.97/mo
Montrose County42,679215.40$120.37/mo
Morgan County29,1115313.68$141.14/mo
Otero County18,690417.03$116.39/mo
Ouray County4,8741115.86$129.00/mo
Park County17,390313.62$120.27/mo
Phillips County4,530312.57$118.95/mo
Pitkin County17,358512.12$244.01/mo
Prowers County11,9994116.66$125.06/mo
Pueblo County168,1624516.75$112.49/mo
Rio Blanco County6,529211.70$85.65/mo
Rio Grande County11,539315.60$102.27/mo
Routt County24,8293113.13$117.74/mo
Saguache County6,368515.51$101.17/mo
San Juan County705115.86$129.00/mo
San Miguel County8,072215.82$126.77/mo
Sedgwick County2,404212.57$118.88/mo
Summit County31,055412.93$83.40/mo
Teller County24,710315.29$114.17/mo
Washington County4,817414.37$124.86/mo
Weld County328,9817813.42$117.91/mo
Yuma County9,988414.46$118.64/mo

Power Plant Fuel Types, Emissions & Pollution Factors

Colorado is home to 61 electricity producing plants, which is the 10th highest in the country and 20th most when counting plants per person. Power generating facilities in the state most often use Coal, which makes up 41.60% (or 23,602,041.65 megawatt hours) of the fuel types used for electricity generation in the state. Secondary fuels used during electricity generation include Wind at 26.49% and Natural Gas at 25.50% of generation. Colorado residents average 5,385.24 kilograms of CO2 emissions per resident from electricity consumption. This comes to a total pollution amount from electricity use of 31,092,840,579.89 kilograms of CO2 emissions.

COAL
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
41.60%
WIND
Wind
Wind
Wind
26.49%
NATURAL GAS
Natural Gas
Natural Gas
Natural Gas
25.50%
SOLAR
Solar
3.09%
CONVENTIONAL HYDROELECTRIC
Conventional Hydroelectric
2.85%
OTHER
Other
0.47%

Colorado Net Metering

Of the 54 electricity suppliers in Colorado, 35 of them report that they offer net metering. The state has favorable net metering and feed in tariffs that make solar and other types of electricity generation more affordable.

Energy Loss

The average energy loss for electricity companies in Colorado is 3.81%. This includes data from 24 companies, including Public Service Company of Colorado, Colorado Springs Utilities, and Intermountain Rural Electric. With a United States average of 2.76%, Colorado is the 35th best state in the country.

Solar Taxes And Rebates

In order to encourage personal solar, all a state needs to do is pass legislation with solar related tax and rebate incentives. Colorado, unfortunately, has no tax credits offered to residents who install solar panels. The state offers limited local rebates rather than a statewide rebate program. Colorado citizens have the ability to apply a 100% property tax exemption for the purchase of solar, which is better than almost all other states. There is currently a 100% sales tax exemption in place for the purchase of solar panels.

State Level Initiatives

Whether a consumer is able to easily purchase electricity plans with renewable fuel sources is at least partially determined by statewide initiatives. Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS) encourage or require electric providers to generate a percentage of their electricity using green fuel types. Colorado has made strong efforts to create an RPS plan that requires at least 25% of electricity production to be fueled by renewable fuels. In addition, there are currently no low income solar programs to assist low income families to install solar panels.

Learn about going solar in Colorado, find out which system size is best for you, compare local installers and see which incentives are available in your area.

FAQ: Common Questions About Energy in Colorado

Where does Colorado get its electricity?

The main fuel type used for electricity generation in Colorado is Coal, making up 41.60% of the fuel used in the state. The second and third most used fuel types are Wind and Natural Gas, which account for 26.49% and 25.50% of total production respectively.

Does Colorado have a deregulated electricity market?

No, the state has a regulated market, where citizens' electricity supplier choices are often determined by their location or state legislation.

How much does electricity cost in Colorado?

The average rate per kilowatt hour of electricity in Colorado in 2022 is 13.44 cents.

What is the average electric bill in Colorado?

The Colorado average electricity bill is $97 so far in 2022.

How many electric companies offer service in Colorado?

Colorado has 54 electricity companies operating in the area.

What is the cheapest electricity company in Colorado?

Residential Rate RankProviderResidential Rate (¢)State Customers
1Fort Morgan Utilities7.936,076
2Moon Lake Electric8.152,257
3Fountain Electric Utilities8.2217,628
4Yuma Electric Service9.691,679
5City of Longmont Electric10.2542,047
6Gunnison Electric11.474,439
7Holy Cross Energy11.6729,321
8Glenwood Springs Electric11.736,580
9City of Loveland Utilities11.7738,282
10Fort Collins Utilities11.8277,898

What power companies offer service in Colorado?

What electricity company is the largest provider in Colorado?

The largest electricity provider in Colorado by megawatt hours sold is Public Service Company of Colorado.

How many power plants are in Colorado?

Colorado has 61 active power plants generating electricity for the state.

Last Reviewed By: Ginalyn Gelera
Published: 2021-03-16Last Updated: 2022-06-21