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Council votes to lower electric and gas cost adjustments, reducing typical bills about $9.72
Summary
Colorado Springs Utilities recommended lower fuel‑cost adjustments; council approved an ECA reduction to 2.33¢/kWh and a GCA reduction to 19.94¢/CCF effective April 1, 2026, producing an estimated $9.72 cut on a sample combined residential bill. Council and utility staff discussed hedging and forthcoming infrastructure riders.
The City Council voted unanimously (8–0) on March 24 to lower the Electric Cost Adjustment (ECA) and Gas Cost Adjustment (GCA), citing lower natural‑gas market prices and improved supply and storage. The council approved an ECA of 2.33¢ per kilowatt hour and a GCA of 19.94¢ per CCF, changes the utility said would reduce a sample combined residential bill by about $9.72 per month.
Tristan (Utilities presenter) described drivers of the decrease: warmer‑than‑normal winter temperatures, higher gas storage levels, and an overall easing of commodity prices since last year. He explained the utilities’ hedging and storage strategies to reduce exposure to price shocks and said the utility is pursuing additional transmission and storage options and prepay strategies to stabilize future costs.
Council members asked about communications to customers and how upcoming infrastructure investments (a DIMP rider) will affect bills. The utility indicated the DIMP rider (distribution integrity management program) could add roughly $8.50 per residential customer, but the current ECA/GCA decreases would still leave typical customers below Front Range averages. The council and utility staff agreed to public outreach and a town hall for residents to explain rate components and upcoming hearings.
Both ECA and GCA motions passed unanimously; the ECA/GCA adjustments take effect April 1, 2026. The council also noted a separate forthcoming vote on the DIMP rider at a future meeting.
What to watch: utilities will communicate the rate adjustments to customers and schedule a separate hearing for infrastructure riders; monitoring the combined effect on household bills will be important as new charges are introduced.
