In short: Most Denver-area homes buy power from Xcel Energy, which averaged about 15¢ per kWh for homes in 2024 and still credits exported solar at its energy rate. Xcel customers lost almost 6 hours of power on average that year (2.6 hours without major events), and Xcel now uses planned wildfire shutoffs in the foothills.
Below: what Denver’s utilities pay for solar and batteries, when power costs most, how the shutoffs have worked, and where permits come from. For statewide rules (net metering law, the new plug-in solar law, tax exemptions, electrician licensing), see our Colorado energy guide.
Denver at a glance
- Xcel Energy (Public Service Co. of Colorado): the only utility listed for the City and County of Denver, and the main one across the metro. About 15.1¢ per kWh for homes in 2024; 352 minutes without power per customer with major events, 158 without, across its Colorado system (EIA-861, 2024).
- CORE Electric Cooperative (formerly IREA), in parts of Douglas, Arapahoe, Adams and Jefferson counties: about 15.0¢ per kWh; 212 minutes out with major events, 74 without.
- United Power, a co-op in parts of Adams, Jefferson and Broomfield: about 15.8¢ per kWh; 77 minutes out.
- Sun: about 4.85 kWh per square meter per day in Denver (NASA POWER, 2001–2020). Our rough estimate: about 1,400 kWh a year per kW of panels.
- Top hazards: FEMA’s National Risk Index (December 2025) rates Denver County “very high” for hail and lightning, and “relatively high” for cold waves, flooding, strong wind, tornadoes and winter weather. Jefferson and Douglas counties add wildfire.
- Public charging: 2,430 public charging ports at 718 locations across Denver, Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Littleton, Parker and Castle Rock, about a third of Colorado’s total (AFDC, October 2026). Denver alone has 1,648.
Your utility and what it means
Xcel Energy is regulated by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC). Every Xcel solar customer gets net metering: power you send to the grid goes into a “solar bank.” If you choose continuous rollover, each extra kWh becomes a dollar credit at the full energy rate you would have paid (base energy price plus per-kWh riders), and it never expires. It cannot pay the monthly service charge or be cashed out. If you make no choice, Xcel pays out the bank once a year at its much lower “avoided cost” rate, so pick rollover unless you expect big surpluses. Xcel limits new systems to an expected 200% of your past 12 months’ use. See Xcel’s net metering page.
- Time of Use: Xcel has been moving eligible homes onto a time-of-use rate (you can opt out) where 5 to 9 p.m. on weekdays is the expensive window. Xcel says the off-peak price can be about half the on-peak price. You can switch to the flat rate, and your choice also changes how solar credits are valued.
- Renewable Battery Connect: an upfront payment of $250 per kW of the battery’s continuous output (up to $5,000), plus $100 a year for five years, for letting Xcel use the battery during peak events. Income-qualified homes can get $1,000 per kW. It covers Tesla Powerwall and current Enphase models; see Battery Connect for the remaining budget.
- EV charging: a charger and home wiring rebate of up to $500 (up to $2,300 for income-qualified homes) when you join one of Xcel’s EV programs, plus a $50 yearly bill credit for charging off-peak. See Xcel’s EV charging incentives.
CORE and United Power are member-owned co-ops with their own rate plans and solar rules. Your bill shows which utility you have, and the co-op can tell you its export credit and any battery or charger rebates before you sign anything.
Backup power in Denver
Two things cause most long outages here: winter storms and wind. Since April 2024 the wind has also brought planned shutoffs. Xcel ran Colorado’s first Public Safety Power Shutoff in April 2024 (about 55,000 customers), then one in March 2025 (about 12,000) and two in December 2025 (about 50,000, then 69,000), in Boulder, Jefferson, Douglas, Broomfield, Larimer, Weld, Gilpin and Clear Creek counties. Denver County itself was not on those lists, but foothill suburbs were. Xcel aims to warn customers up to 48 hours ahead, and power can take hours to days to return because crews patrol every line first. The PUC proposed statewide shutoff rules in September 2026.
- Keeping the heat on: a gas furnace needs only a few hundred watts, so a home battery or a standby generator with a transfer switch can carry it through a cold outage. See generator installation.
- Shorter outages and apartments: a portable power station covers Wi-Fi, lights, phones and a CPAP. Charge it fully when a shutoff warning arrives.
Compare the options in our backup power guide and size them with the battery backup calculator and generator sizing tool. Run a generator outdoors only, at least 20 feet from the house with the exhaust pointed away, never in a garage, and keep carbon monoxide alarms inside (CPSC).
Solar in Denver
By our rough estimate each kW of panels in Denver makes about 1,400 kWh a year, worth about $210 at Xcel’s 2024 average price. Because Xcel’s rollover credit uses the energy rate, exported power keeps most of its value, unlike in net-billing states. On time of use, panels produce mostly off-peak, so compare both rates before you choose. Hail is Denver County’s top hazard: ask about panel hail ratings and your home insurance. These are estimates, not quotes.
Federal home solar credits ended after 2025; Colorado’s tax exemptions are on the state page. Check your roof with the solar potential tool and solar savings calculator, then read how solar installation works, what it costs and how net metering works.
Home batteries in Denver
With energy-rate credits, a battery saves less on bills here than in net-billing states. Its main jobs are riding out shutoffs and winter outages and shifting solar into the 5 to 9 p.m. peak on time of use. Battery Connect pays part of the cost: for example, a battery rated at 5 kW of continuous output would earn $1,250 up front plus $100 a year (general rate). Keep the battery within the maker’s temperature range, since unheated garages get very cold. See home batteries, battery costs and battery installation.
EV charging in Denver
At Xcel’s 2024 average price and about 30 kWh per 100 miles, home charging costs roughly $4.50 per 100 miles, and less if you charge after 9 p.m. on time of use (estimate). Cold weather raises use in winter. A Level 2 charger needs a 240-volt circuit and a permit, installed by a licensed electrician; Xcel’s rebate can cover part of it. See EV charger installation and the EV charging cost calculator.
Drive on another fuel? See every alternative fuel station in Denver: hydrogen, propane, natural gas, E85 ethanol, biodiesel and renewable diesel.
Permits and inspections
- City and County of Denver: Community Planning and Development issues solar permits for houses and duplexes; see its solar permits page for what qualifies for quick review. EV chargers and generators need their own electrical permits.
- Suburbs: Aurora, Lakewood, Arvada, Littleton, Parker and Castle Rock each issue their own permits; ask your city’s building division. Unincorporated areas go to the county.
- Utility approval: Xcel asks you not to start building until its engineers approve the interconnection application and the agreements are signed. Your installer usually applies for you.
- HOAs: send your plans to the association for approval before you sign; plug-in solar HOA rules under the new state law start January 1, 2027.
Cities we cover
- Denver
- Aurora
- Lakewood
- Arvada
- Littleton
- Parker
- Castle Rock
Get help in Denver
Are you a licensed installer in Denver? 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 Denver area. It is free, there is no obligation, and only the installer you choose gets your details. Read how it works.
Denver energy questions
Does Xcel Energy still offer net metering in Denver?
Yes. Every Xcel solar customer in Colorado is net metered. With the continuous rollover option, exported power becomes a dollar credit at the energy rate and never expires, though it cannot pay the monthly service charge or be cashed out. The default instead pays surplus once a year at a much lower rate, so choose rollover when you sign up.
Has Denver had a wildfire power shutoff?
Denver County was not among the counties Xcel named in its shutoffs of April 2024, March 2025 and December 2025. Suburban parts of Jefferson, Douglas and Broomfield counties were. If you live near the foothills, sign up for Xcel’s shutoff alerts and plan backup power for a day or more.
How much will Xcel pay toward a home battery?
Under Renewable Battery Connect, $250 per kW of the battery’s continuous output, up to $5,000, plus $100 a year for five years for joining control events. Income-qualified homes get $1,000 per kW and homes in state-designated communities $500. Only listed Tesla and Enphase models qualify, and the budget is limited, so check before you buy.
When is electricity most expensive in Denver?
On Xcel’s time-of-use rate, from 5 to 9 p.m. on weekdays, all year. The other 20 hours, weekends and holidays are off-peak and can cost about half as much. Charging an EV or running the dishwasher after 9 p.m. is the easiest saving. You can opt for the flat rate instead.
Am I on Xcel or a co-op?
It depends on your address. The city of Denver is all Xcel, but CORE Electric Cooperative and United Power serve parts of the suburban counties. Your bill names the utility, and it decides your solar credit, rate plans and rebates.
Sources
EIA-861, 2024 data (price = residential revenue ÷ sales); Xcel Energy Colorado net metering, solar billing FAQ, time-of-use, Renewable Battery Connect, EV incentive and PSPS pages, and newsroom releases from April 2024 to December 2025; CORE Electric Cooperative PSPS pages; Colorado PUC release of September 29, 2026; City and County of Denver CPD; NASA POWER, 2001–2020; FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025; AFDC station data; CPSC. All read October 2026. Estimates are ours and labelled.