Overview
- The Colorado Public Utilities Commission approved the $157 million revenue increase on Wednesday, raising the average residential bill by about $5 per month and the average commercial bill by about $7.29 per month, with changes effective at the end of December.
- Xcel originally sought a much larger request that topped roughly $336–$356 million and pared that ask down over months of review and public comment before the commission’s vote.
- Commission leadership highlighted that Xcel’s capital spending jumped from about $1.6 billion in 2021 to $5.4 billion in 2025 and is proposed near $6 billion for 2026, and they warned that such growth could make electricity unaffordable if it outpaces inflation.
- Consumer advocates and community groups pushed regulators to reject the increase, noting multiple recent rate boosts for Xcel customers and saying low-income and larger families will feel the added strain.
- Xcel said it was disappointed the commission reduced the request and defended the spending as necessary to replace poles and transformers, expand transmission and support the clean‑energy transition, while the commission still reviews a separate reduced gas-rate proposal that could further affect bills.