The $300 storm becomes $400 as Colorado Springs Utilities recommends new rate hike
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A late February winter weather event is becoming more expensive for Colorado Springs Utilities customers.
Just last week, a gas rate increase went into effect to cover the abnormally high cost of natural gas during the storm. The average cost per Colorado Springs Utilities customer works out to about $308 over 14 months. It's an even bigger increase for commercial and industrial customers.
Now, the Colorado Springs Utilities Board is recommending customers also pay an increased rate for electricity. The average proposed cost to residential customers is about $6.93 additional per month for 13 months or about $90 overall.
Colorado Springs Utilities says the electric rate hike would pay for the increased cost of natural gas CSU used to provide electricity to customers during that time.
KRDO Newschannel 13 asked Colorado Springs Utilities Chief Financial Officer Scott Shewey why CSU didn't implement a planned power outage to offset the cost.
"Just because the cost is a little high, doesn’t mean we’re going to turn power off and get people without power," said Shewey, adding that reliability is the top priority. "It’s extremely hard to manage in effect who would want a power outage and provide that for them."
Colorado Springs City Council will vote on the increase at its regular meeting Tuesday.
If approved, the electric rate adjustment would go into effect on April 1, 2021. It would expire at the same time as the recent gas rate increase, on April 1, 2022.
