In short: Most Colorado Springs homes get power from Colorado Springs Utilities, a city-owned utility that charged about 14.5¢ per kWh in 2024 and kept outages to about an hour a year. Its City Council approved new solar rules in 2026: solar agreements dated before April 1, 2027 keep today’s net metering until 2032.
Below: what the solar changes mean, how the city’s utility handles wildfire risk without planned shutoffs, and where permits come from. For statewide rules (the plug-in solar law, tax exemptions, electrician licensing), see our Colorado energy guide.
Colorado Springs at a glance
- Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU): owned by the city, with rates set by City Council. About 14.5¢ per kWh for homes in 2024; 63 minutes without power per customer with major events, 45 without, and fewer than one outage per customer a year (EIA-861, 2024).
- Edges of El Paso County: EIA also lists Mountain View Electric Association (about 15.5¢; 56 minutes out), the City of Fountain, CORE, Black Hills Energy and Xcel Energy. Your bill tells you which one you have.
- Sun: about 5.03 kWh per square meter per day (NASA POWER, 2001–2020), a little more than Denver. Our rough estimate: about 1,470 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards: FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates El Paso County “very high” for hail, lightning and winter weather, and “relatively high” for flooding, strong wind, tornadoes and wildfire.
- Public charging: 320 public charging ports at 107 locations in Colorado Springs (AFDC, October 2026).
Your utility and what it means
Today’s net metering. CSU banks the kWh your panels send to the grid and lets you use them later, at night or in winter, with a year-end rollover process. Solar applications carry a $100 fee for homes, billed when your installer applies.
What changes. After a survey, focus groups and a public hearing, City Council approved new solar rates in 2026. CSU’s summary of what was approved:
- Grandfathering: customers with net metering agreements dated before April 1, 2027 move to the new rates on April 1, 2032. Ask CSU which rules apply if you sign later.
- Bigger systems allowed: the size cap rises from 120% to 200% of your use.
- Option 1, Grid Access Charge: a fixed daily charge plus time-of-day prices, with on-peak from 5 to 9 p.m. on weekdays. Exports earn separate on-peak and off-peak credits each month (net billing), with no monthly rollover.
- Option 2, Demand Charge: a flat price per kWh plus a charge based on your highest 15-minute on-peak use in the month. Existing customers can keep monthly rollover.
- Cost: CSU estimates both options raise a typical solar home’s bill by about $38 a month at 2027 rates.
Read the details on CSU’s approved changes for solar customers page before you sign a contract, and ask any installer to show you savings under the new rates, not today’s.
Rebates. CSU’s current rebate list covers heat pumps, insulation, smart thermostats and water heaters, and a Peak Energy Rewards program, but no battery or EV charger rebate. For EVs it offers free managed charging through Optiwatt, which times your charging for off-peak hours.
Backup power in Colorado Springs
CSU says it does not use Public Safety Power Shutoffs, the planned wildfire outages Xcel has run north of Denver. Instead, on high-risk days it switches on Enhanced Powerline Safety Settings (EPSS), which cut a line the instant something touches it. That can mean more unplanned outages, mostly on lines serving homes near the wildland edge, and each one takes about 4 to 8 hours while crews inspect the line. Wildfire risk is highest from May to November. Add winter storms and hail, and a few hours of backup matters most for homes in the foothills.
- Medical devices, internet, a fridge: a portable power station or a small home battery covers a typical 4 to 8 hour EPSS outage.
- Winter storms: a gas furnace blower needs only a few hundred watts; a battery or a standby generator on a transfer switch keeps the heat on. See generator installation.
Compare the options in our backup power guide and size them with the battery backup calculator and generator sizing tool. At over 6,000 feet, generators lose some power; check the maker’s altitude derating. Run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house with the exhaust pointed away, and keep carbon monoxide alarms inside (CPSC).
Solar in Colorado Springs
Panels here make about 1,470 kWh a year per kW by our rough estimate, worth about $210 at CSU’s 2024 average price when you use the power yourself. That self-use value will hold under the new rates; what changes is the value of exports and the fixed or demand charges on top. So size a new system to your own use, and if you choose the time-of-day option, plan to shift loads or add a battery for the 5 to 9 p.m. peak. These are estimates, not quotes.
CSU also warns about misleading solar sales pitches and suggests at least three bids. Check your roof with the solar potential tool and solar savings calculator, and read how solar installation works, what it costs and net metering vs net billing.
Home batteries in Colorado Springs
Under today’s kWh banking a battery mostly buys backup. Under the new options it can also save money: storing midday solar for the 5 to 9 p.m. peak on the time-of-day option, or trimming your highest on-peak 15 minutes on the demand option. CSU offers no battery rebate today. Keep the battery within the maker’s temperature range; garages get cold here. See home batteries, battery costs and battery installation.
EV charging in Colorado Springs
At CSU’s 2024 average price and about 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs roughly $4.30 per 100 miles (our estimate). CSU’s own example puts 1,000 miles a month at about $35 on your bill if you avoid the 5 to 9 p.m. peak. A Level 2 charger needs a 240-volt circuit and a permit, installed by a licensed electrician. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Colorado Springs: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- Utility first: your installer applies to CSU online. When CSU approves, it emails the approval to you, the installer and the building department.
- Building permit: the installer then gets the permit from the Pikes Peak Regional Building Department (PPRBD), which inspects and closes it. You can check permit status on PPRBD’s site.
- Switching on: CSU fits a net meter and a production meter, then sends Permission To Operate. Don’t turn the system on before that.
- Generators and EV chargers: need their own electrical permits; ask PPRBD. HOAs: get written approval before you sign.
Cities we cover
- Colorado Springs
Get help in Colorado Springs
Are you a licensed installer in Colorado Springs? Join SolutionEnergy and get requests from homeowners and businesses →
Tell us about your project and we will connect you with a licensed, independent installer who serves the Colorado Springs area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. Read how it works.
Colorado Springs energy questions
Is Colorado Springs Utilities ending net metering?
It is changing it. City Council approved two new options in 2026: a fixed daily charge with time-of-day net billing, or a demand charge with a flat rate. Customers whose agreements are dated before April 1, 2027 keep today’s rules until April 1, 2032. CSU estimates a typical solar bill rises about $38 a month under either option.
Does Colorado Springs have wildfire power shutoffs?
CSU says it does not use them. On high-risk days it uses safety settings that cut a line instantly if something touches it, mainly on lines near the wildland edge. Those outages usually last 4 to 8 hours while crews inspect the line, so plan a few hours of backup if you live near open space.
Does CSU offer battery or EV charger rebates?
Not on its current rebate list, which covers heat pumps, insulation, thermostats and water heaters. For EV owners it offers free managed charging through Optiwatt, which shifts charging into off-peak hours. Check CSU’s rebates page before you buy, because programs change.
Who issues solar permits in Colorado Springs?
The Pikes Peak Regional Building Department. CSU approves the connection first and copies PPRBD; your installer then pulls the permit, PPRBD inspects, and CSU installs its meters and grants permission to operate.
Sources
EIA-861, 2024 data (price = residential revenue ÷ sales); Colorado Springs Utilities pages on approved solar changes, the solar program, rebates, electric vehicles and EPSS; NASA POWER, 2001–2020; FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025; AFDC station data; CPSC. All read October 2026. Estimates are ours and labelled.