Blog post

Fuel rate decrease approved, lowering avg. residential bills by nearly $10

Four large wheels that control the flow of natural gas attached to grey pipelines photographed in the morning sun.

City Council approved a decrease to electric and natural gas fuel rates, lowering the average residential customer’s monthly bill by $9.72, starting April 1.

The decrease reflects lower forecasted natural gas prices in 2026.

Electric cost adjustment*

  • Residential: –$2.10 (–1.9%)
  • Commercial: –$18.00 (–2.6%)
  • Industrial: –$1,293.20 (–3.1%)

Natural gas cost adjustment*

  • Residential: –$7.62 (–15.2%)
  • Commercial: –$157.35 (–20.4%)
  • Industrial: –$1,573.56 (–21.0%)

*Assuming average electric and natural gas usage. Individual bill impacts vary based on weather, household energy use and home efficiency.

The last fuel rate change occurred in July 2025, when the average residential monthly bill increased by about $0.25.

Why fuel rates are decreasing

Fuel rates—also known as cost adjustments—are directly tied to the cost of fuel and can increase or decrease quarterly. As a nonprofit, communityowned utility, we pass fuel cost changes directly to customers (typically up-to four times a year including changes in January, April, July and October).

To help protect customers from market volatility, we purchase natural gas when demand and prices are lower, store supplies in leased underground storage, and use longrange planning tools to lock in more stable prices. These strategies help keep rates competitive with other Front Range utilities and allow customers to benefit when fuel costs decline.

Help managing energy bills

We offer programs to help customers manage energy costs:

  • Budget Billing helps spread energy costs more evenly throughout the year.
  • Project COPE provides yearround utility assistance. In 2025, 2,394 local families received $1,534,053 in assistance.
  • LEAP provides winter utility assistance, available Nov. 1 through April 30. So far, $1.6 million in assistance has been provided to our customers.