Colorado Public Utilities Commission

• Jan 12, 2025

  Eric BlankReappointment · Chair

  Gov. Jared Polis reappointed Eric Blank for a second four-year term as PUC Chairman, effective January 12, 2025; the Colorado Senate confirmed the appointment on April 9, 2025.

Address

1560 Broadway, Ste. 250, Denver, CO 80202

Phone

(303) 894-2000Fax (303) 894-2065

Website

puc.colorado.gov ↗

• Updated Nov 21, 2025

  25AL-0494E · Electric · Active

  Xcel Energy Electric Rate Case

  Public Service Co. of Colorado seeks approximately $290 million in electric rate increases, filed November 2025. If approved, typical residential bills would rise about $9.94/month starting August 2026.

• Updated Dec 29, 2025

  25AL-0538G · Gas · Active

  Xcel Energy Natural Gas Rate Case

  Public Service Co. of Colorado seeks $190 million in additional annual gas revenue — an 11.4% increase — to fund system modernization and safety. Filed December 2025; residential bills would rise ~$7.59/month.

Utility landscape

• Public Service Company of Colorado (Xcel Energy) IOU

  Denver metro, Front Range corridor, and large portions of northern and eastern Colorado

  Xcel is the dominant IOU in Colorado and faces intense scrutiny over its 2024 Electric Resource Plan and coal plant retirement timelines. The CPUC has pushed back on cost recovery mechanisms tied to the Comanche 3 coal unit and grid reliability investments.

• Black Hills Energy Colorado IOU

  Pueblo, southern Colorado, and portions of the San Luis Valley

  Black Hills filed a general rate case in 2024 seeking significant distribution infrastructure cost recovery. The commission has scrutinized the utility's renewable transition pace relative to its Colorado Energy Plan commitments.

• Atmos Energy (Colorado-Kansas Division) IOU

  Eastern plains and rural communities in southeastern Colorado

  Atmos has pursued annual SSIR (System Safety and Integrity Rider) adjustments; CPUC approved a modest 2025 rider increase while directing the utility to justify long-term gas infrastructure investment against state decarbonization goals.

• Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association coop

  Wholesale power supplier to rural electric cooperatives across Colorado, Nebraska, Kansas, and New Mexico

  Tri-State came under CPUC jurisdiction following a 2019 legislative change. The commission has been active on member exit rights and contract flexibility, with several member cooperatives having pursued or completed exit negotiations.

• Colorado Springs Utilities muni

  City of Colorado Springs and surrounding El Paso County service area

  As a four-service municipal utility (electric, gas, water, wastewater), Colorado Springs Utilities is largely self-regulated but coordinates with CPUC on certain wholesale and interconnection matters. Recently approved internal rate adjustments to fund renewable capacity additions.

• United Power coop

  Northern Front Range including Brighton, Longmont area, and fast-growing Adams and Weld County suburbs

  United Power completed its exit from Tri-State in 2023 and now procures power independently, representing one of the largest cooperative exits in U.S. history. CPUC continues to monitor its integrated resource planning obligations and new supply contracts.

Key issues

• Xcel Energy's 2024 Electric Resource Plan (ERP) proceeding: CPUC is evaluating Xcel's proposed portfolio of new wind, solar, storage, and demand response resources to replace retiring coal capacity, with contested issues around Comanche 3 early retirement costs, reliability reserves, and ratepayer cost allocation.
• Gas utility decarbonization and stranded asset risk: CPUC is developing rules under HB 22-1355 and SB 23-272 to assess long-term viability of gas distribution infrastructure, including potential requirements for utilities to submit decarbonization pathways and address stranded cost recovery mechanisms.
• Community solar garden program reform: The CPUC's Community Solar Gardens (CSG) program is under review for potential restructuring, including changes to subscription caps, bill credit rates, and low-income carve-out requirements following significant growth in program enrollment and utility complaints about cost shifts.
• Electric vehicle infrastructure cost recovery: Multiple utilities have pending or recently approved applications for EV make-ready and charging infrastructure programs under Colorado's EV-friendly legislative framework; contested issues include rate design for managed charging, utility vs. third-party deployment roles, and demand charge structures.
• Transmission cost allocation and SPP integration: Colorado utilities participating in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Western Energy Imbalance Service and RTO West expansion face open proceedings at FERC with CPUC intervenor positions on transmission cost allocation methodologies affecting Colorado ratepayers.

Upcoming

• 2026-09-15

  Estimated deadline for intervenor reply comments in Xcel Energy's 2024 Electric Resource Plan (CPUC Proceeding 24A-0141E); final commission decision on preferred portfolio anticipated in Q4 2026.

• 2026-10-01

  Estimated effective date for CPUC final rules on gas utility long-term planning and decarbonization pathway requirements under Phase 2 rulemaking initiated in 2025; compliance filings from Black Hills and Atmos expected shortly after.

• 2026-11-17

  Estimated hearing date for Black Hills Energy Colorado general rate case evidentiary proceedings; ALJ recommended decision expected in early 2027 with final commission order in Q1 2027.

• 2027-01-15

  Estimated deadline for electric utilities to file updated Demand Side Management (DSM) portfolio plans under revised CPUC performance incentive mechanisms adopted in 2025 rulemaking, applicable to Xcel and Black Hills Colorado electric operations.