Rates, fees & cost adjustments

We are a not-for-profit municipal utility, and we serve our customers, not shareholders.

We believe in keeping rates as low as possible, and we also believe in transparency in how your bill is calculated each month.

When we talk about rates, there are two different aspects: base rates and cost adjustments.

Base rates

Base rates reflect the costs associated with producing and delivering each service to customers.

Base rates pay for the operation and maintenance of power plants, water collection and distribution systems, wastewater treatment, metering and billing systems, and more.

The physical things you see, such as poles, wires and pipes, are financed through base rates.

Cost adjustments

Cost adjustments only apply to electric and natural gas services. Prices for natural gas and electricity can change quickly and are uncontrollable.

We typically adjust rates each quarter to account for increases and decreases in these prices. Increases or decreases are passed directly to our customers. 

Natural gas cost adjustments directly reflect the cost to serve our customers with natural gas appliances. Since natural gas is a source of electric production, electric cost adjustments are also affected by fluctuations in natural gas costs.

A person stirs a pan on a gas stovetop.Latest cost adjustment

On Sept. 24, 2024, City Council approved an increase to the electric and natural gas fuel rates in response to the projected rise in natural gas prices this winter.

The total bill impact for the average residential customer bill is $8.71. Individual customer bill impacts vary depending on weather, household use and home efficiency.  

The new rates are effective Oct. 1, 2024.

Read more

Service Fees

 

Fees are also included on bills to cover additional services provided to our customers. Learn more about our service fees by clicking on each section below.

For residential accounts, we generally do not require a deposit unless you have had a previous Colorado Springs Utilities debt that was written off or was included in a bankruptcy filing.

If all services at your address are in service, there is no start-up or connection fee. Fees may apply, however, if it’s necessary for field personnel to turn on one or more services at your address.

To start service, please call us at (719) 448-4800 or (800) 238-5434.

If your service has been disconnected due to non-payment, reconnection fees apply to restore service. Normal hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - excluding holidays.

  • Normal hours - $70
  • After hours - Additional $40
As an enterprise of the City, we add their stormwater fee to our bills.

Please direct questions about stormwater to the City.
We assess a $30 fee for each returned check, AutoPay or credit/debit card payment.

Related documents

PDF PDF

Residential ratesheet

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Business ratesheet

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Electric tariff

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Natural gas tariff

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Water tariff

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Wastewater tariff

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2025 rate case filing

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2024 rate case supplemental filing

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Open access transmission tariff

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Utilities rules & regulations tariff

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