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Electricity In Colorado

  • Population5,758,736
  • Total Consumption56,616,470 MWh / 9.83 MWh per capita
  • CO2 Equivalent Emissions30,815,906,344 kg
  • Total Production54,879,422 MWh / 9.53 MWh per capita
state-map

Residential Electricity Bills & Rates in Colorado

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

Historical Pricing:
Price Per kWHAverage Bill$0.132/kWh$0.115/kWh$121.15/mo.$66.17/mo.
27th12.61¢Average residential price per kWh in the state of Colorado
5th$92.1Average residential monthly electricity bill for Colorado Residents

Energy Profile of Colorado

Colorado's Electricity Prices and Usage

The average electricity rate in Colorado in 2021 is 12.61 cents per kilowatt hour, which is 5.42% lower than the national average of 13.33 cents. The state has a regulated electricity market, meaning consumers may have only a few provider options to choose from when shopping for their electricity. Colorado has accomplished a 19.08% rise in the use of renewable fuel sources for electricity production in the past year. Residents of the state consume over 56,600,000 megawatt hours for statewide electricity needs, making Colorado the 26th largest consuming state in the country. Power generation plants in the state generate 96.93% of the electricity consumed by the state's citizens, meaning they need to purchase the additional 3.07%. The state generates approximately 9.53 megawatt hours per person per year from its electricity generating plants, which ranks it as the 39th largest generator per capita in the country.

Electricity Providers in Colorado

ProviderArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Rate (¢)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Average Bill ($)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Residential Sales (MWh)Arrow DownBlue arrow pointing down.Residential Revenues ($)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.State Production (MWh)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.State Emissions (KG)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.
Public Service Company of Colorado11.7075.7810,147,2971,187,021,34123,432,058.4134,100,485,708.88
Intermountain Rural Electric13.09120.571,678,056219,691,00044,623.682,818,386,896.48
Colorado Springs Utilities12.6182.881,611,303203,220,8574,215,232.015,467,067,075.99
United Power13.21117.63913,336120,667,255No DataIcon representing missing value.1,573,027,550.45
Black Hills Energy17.35108.02647,461112,307,763491,1131,823,274,953.71
Holy Cross Energy11.70131.95643,61975,304,30014,093.541,343,852,431.63
Mountain View Electric Association14.57131.24547,27879,737,500No DataIcon representing missing value.476,753,754.51
Fort Collins Utilities11.5876.68542,65762,818,456No DataIcon representing missing value.803,170,436.4
Poudre Valley REA11.99115.5480,36657,584,6133,2231,484,408,924.12
City of Longmont Electric9.7367.1318,16030,969,900No DataIcon representing missing value.434,001,502.03
64 providers total

Power Plants in Colorado

PlantArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Primary Fuel TypeArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Production (MWh)Arrow DownBlue arrow pointing down.Emission (KG)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Emissions per MWh (KG/MWh)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Toxic Chemical ReleaseArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Closing DateArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.
Craig (CO)Public Service Company of Colorado (6.08%)PacifiCorp (12.06%)Tri State Generation (52.45%)Salt River Project (18.14%)Platte River Power Authority (11.26%)
Coal 7,002,361.997,117,939,641.491,016.51Yes12/2029
Comanche (CO)Holy Cross Energy (0.25%)Public Service Company of Colorado (98.96%)Intermountain Rural Electric (0.79%)
Coal 5,650,785.986,024,192,753.351,066.08No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
Fort St VrainPublic Service Company of Colorado (100.00%)
Natural Gas 3,478,0031,459,309,233.06419.58No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
CherokeePublic Service Company of Colorado (100.00%)
Natural Gas 3,475,9781,552,218,195.08446.56No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
PawneePublic Service Company of Colorado (100.00%)
Coal 2,931,844.013,177,271,346.431,083.71YesNo DataIcon representing missing value.
Rocky Mountain Energy CenterPublic Service Company of Colorado (100.00%)
Natural Gas 2,627,4811,094,627,163.28416.61No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
Front Range Power PlantColorado Springs Utilities (100.00%)
Natural Gas 2,627,2611,057,645,404.48402.57No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
HaydenPublic Service Company of Colorado (56.29%)PacifiCorp (18.50%)Salt River Project (25.21%)
Coal 2,179,6932,196,684,122.561,007.8Yes12/2028
Rush Creek WindPublic Service Company of Colorado (100.00%)
Wind 2,029,88657,776,442.8728.46No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
RawhidePlatte River Power Authority (100.00%)
Coal 1,959,7921,900,661,959.44969.83No DataIcon representing missing value.No DataIcon representing missing value.
222 power plants total

Quick Facts

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Colorado has achieved a 7.75% decrease in CO2 equivalent pollution from electricity use during the most recent year.

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Colorado is home to over 5,758,736 residents and produces 1,503,251.32 megawatt hours of electricity from solar sources, or 0.26 megawatt hour per capita. This ranks Colorado 17th highest in the country for solar megawatt hours produced per capita.

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The burning of coal in the production of electricity dropped in Colorado during the previous 12 months, with a decreased usage of roughly 10.08% taking place.

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The state of Colorado is the 31st largest generator of electricity in the nation, producing 54,879,421.96 megawatt hours.

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There was a 21.98% rise in power produced by wind turbines in Colorado in the past 12 months from 11,603,537.79 megawatt hours to 14,153,546.44 megawatt hours.

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Colorado has recently seen an increase in electricity production from solar energy of roughly 10.65% year over year.

CountyArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.PopulationArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.ProvidersArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.PlantsArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Rate (¢)Arrow UpArrow pointing upwards.Avg. Electric BillArrow UpArrow pointing upwards.
Adams County517,4218 providers1712.27$92.55/mo
Alamosa County16,2338 providers814.70$101.31/mo
Arapahoe County656,5907 providers612.09$88.29/mo
Archuleta County14,0298 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.14.55$101.14/mo
Baca County3,58110 providers217.06$135.54/mo
Bent County5,57711 providers217.16$129.37/mo
Boulder County326,19611 providers612.63$88.78/mo
Broomfield County70,4655 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.12.99$84.59/mo
Chaffee County20,3569 providers315.29$105.87/mo
Cheyenne County1,8318 providers114.74$120.50/mo
Clear Creek County9,7006 providers212.66$103.13/mo
Conejos County8,2056 providers214.37$96.35/mo
Costilla County3,8878 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.15.36$113.04/mo
Crowley County6,0617 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.16.91$128.03/mo
Custer County5,0688 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.16.19$104.66/mo
Delta County31,1629 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.56$100.72/mo
Denver County727,2115 providers811.83$79.62/mo
Dolores County2,0557 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.15.31$112.85/mo
Douglas County351,1545 providers212.47$97.96/mo
Eagle County55,1278 providers212.55$106.20/mo
El Paso County720,40310 providers1614.40$103.86/mo
Elbert County26,72912 providers113.65$109.63/mo
Fremont County47,83912 providers116.00$109.10/mo
Garfield County60,06115 providers612.30$100.63/mo
Gilpin County6,2436 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.12.72$102.83/mo
Grand County15,7347 providers312.97$98.75/mo
Gunnison County17,46210 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.98$103.14/mo
Hinsdale County8208 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.14.77$100.81/mo
Huerfano County6,8978 providers417.56$145.73/mo
Jackson County1,3927 providers112.56$102.42/mo
Jefferson County582,8815 providers612.17$89.23/mo
Kiowa County1,4067 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.15.71$119.41/mo
Kit Carson County7,09710 providers514.88$108.20/mo
La Plata County56,2218 providers314.54$103.89/mo
Lake County8,1275 providers214.04$100.81/mo
Larimer County356,89917 providers1112.06$86.73/mo
Las Animas County14,50614 providers218.13$151.20/mo
Lincoln County5,7019 providers414.86$126.43/mo
Logan County22,40910 providers1114.01$127.15/mo
Mesa County154,21012 providers712.66$95.28/mo
Mineral County7697 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.14.72$99.88/mo
Moffat County13,28310 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.20$98.29/mo
Montezuma County26,1838 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.15.18$108.28/mo
Montrose County42,75812 providers914.27$109.17/mo
Morgan County29,0685 providers511.71$115.08/mo
Otero County18,2788 providers217.78$147.36/mo
Ouray County4,9523 providers114.98$118.51/mo
Park County18,8457 providers113.52$103.33/mo
Phillips County4,2658 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.09$114.62/mo
Pitkin County17,7677 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.38$109.90/mo
Prowers County12,17211 providers416.69$110.87/mo
Pueblo County168,4249 providers816.25$113.10/mo
Rio Blanco County6,32411 providers211.68$91.39/mo
Rio Grande County11,26710 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.15.03$105.12/mo
Routt County25,6389 providers113.15$104.32/mo
Saguache County6,82413 providers214.79$102.02/mo
San Juan County7286 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.14.41$103.02/mo
San Miguel County8,1794 providers115.22$116.53/mo
Sedgwick County2,24812 providers113.13$103.69/mo
Summit County31,0116 providers112.64$97.76/mo
Teller County25,3884 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.15.21$114.32/mo
Washington County4,9089 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.80$126.67/mo
Weld County324,49217 providers2512.75$90.92/mo
Yuma County10,01919 providersNo DataIcon representing missing value.13.95$115.85/mo

Power Plant Fuel Types, Emissions & Pollution Factors

About 30,815,906,343.73 kilograms of CO2 equivalent gases are released each year in the state of Colorado because of electricity generation. The state also ranks 20th highest in pollution per citizen, averaging 5,351.16 kilograms of CO2 and CO2 equivalent gases emissions per person in the state. Approximately 37.81% of Colorado’s electricity is produced using Coal. Natural Gas and Wind make up the next highest totals for a fuel type at 30.27% (16,610,471.78 megawatt hours) and 25.79% (14,153,546.44 megawatt hours) respectively. Colorado is home to 222 electricity producing plants, which is the 13th highest number of plants in a state and the 20th highest number of plants per capita in a state.

COAL
Coal
Coal
Coal
Coal
37.81%
NATURAL GAS
Natural Gas
Natural Gas
Natural Gas
Natural Gas
30.27%
WIND Renewable, RefreshableIcon representing renewability.
Wind
Wind
Wind
25.79%
CONVENTIONAL HYDROELECTRIC Renewable, RefreshableIcon representing renewability.
Conventional Hydroelectric
3.13%
SOLAR Renewable, RefreshableIcon representing renewability.
Solar
2.74%
OTHER
Other
0.27%

Net Metering

Approximately 62.50% of the electricity providers in Colorado offer net metering to their consumers. At the state level, Colorado has favorable regulations for consumers interested in purchasing solar panels.

Energy Loss

The average energy loss for electricity providers in Colorado is 3.59%. This includes data from 40 companies, including Public Service Company of Colorado, Colorado Springs Utilities, and Intermountain Rural Electric. For comparison, the US average energy loss is 2.72%. Colorado ranks 21st worst in the nation for grid efficiency based on energy loss.

Solar Taxes And Rebates

When it comes to stimulating home installs of solar, tax and rebate incentives from the government are some of the easiest methods. Colorado, unfortunately, has no statewide tax credits offered to residents who purchase solar panels. The state offers limited local rebates rather than a statewide rebate program. Fortunately, Colorado offers a 100% tax exemption to consumers who wish to install private solar. The state provides a 100% sales tax exemption to anyone who purchase solar. This is great news for people in the state.

State Level Initiatives

Whether a consumer is able to seek out electricity plans with renewable fuel sources is at least somewhat determined by state level legislation. Many states require green fuel types to be a portion of the fuel used for electricity production by providers in the state. These requirements are known as Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). Electric suppliers in Colorado are required to generate a minimum of 25% of their electricity using renewable fuels. Additionally, there are currently no low income solar programs to assist low income families to install solar panels.

FAQ: Common Questions About Energy in Colorado

What is the average electricity rate in Colorado?

The average electric rate in Colorado is 12.61 cents per kilowatt hour, so anything below this amount is better than most. The lowest priced provider is currently Fort Morgan Utilities, at 6.23 cents per kilowatt hour.

How much does electricity cost in Colorado?

The average cost per kilowatt hour of electricity in Colorado in 2021 is 12.61 cents.

What is the average electric bill in Colorado?

In 2021, Colorado has an average electric bill of $92, while the nationwide average is $120.