Residential and small-business customer bills are expected to rise about 8 percent, the utility said.

The increase comes in the utility’s quarterly “Electric Commodity Adjustment” (ECA), which is filed with the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. If approved, the new rates would take effect April 1.

Costs associated with increases or decreases through the ECA are passed along to customers on a dollar-per-dollar basis, the utility said.

If approved, the ECA portion of customers’ bills will increase to 3.7 cents per kilowatt-hour for the second quarter, compared to 2.9 cents per kilowatt-hour for the first quarter of this year. For typical residential customers using 632 kilowatt-hours a month, current bills are expected to increase by $5.18 a month to $71.53.

Typical small-business customer using 1,123 kilowatt-hours a month would see current bills rise by $9.21 a month to $122.41, the utility said.

“For years, consumers have advocated ‘the more you use, the more you pay’ for electricity,” PUC Chairman Ron Binz said. “Today, we’re making that slogan a reality.”

A typical residential customer uses about 687 kilowatt-hours (kwh) per month during the four-month summer period and about 605 kwh per month the rest of the year. Under the new tiered rates, residential customers with average usage will pay about 2 percent more in summer and about 5 percent less during the rest of the year. Customers who are able to reduce their electricity usage during the peak months will be able to see larger savings on their bills.
“The largest customers will pay more, and customers will realize greater rewards for their efforts to use electricity wisely,” Binz said.

The changes are part of the PUC’s decision in Xcel Energy’s phase II rate case, which sets the rate design for the company’s various customer classes. The company receives no additional revenue from the changes. The new rates are expected to go into effect on June 1.
Source: Department of Regulatory Agencies

What are Xcel Energy Solar Rebates? from Bella Energy on Vimeo.

Visit Xcel Energy’s Rebate Level Tracker here…

Hello, my name is Marty Gilligan and I’m with Bella Energy as a solar advisor. Today we are going to talk about the Xcel Energy Solar Rebate and more specifically the rebate drop schedule that was announced this last fall. (Fall of 2009) First the Xcel Rebate is composed of two different elements. One of them is the rebate which is 2 dollars (a watt) and the second one is the REC payment. The REC payment specifically is the part set to keep declining as Xcel Energy reaches their goals as set by the government.

So as you can see on the webpage which you can find on the link next to this video . Alternatively, you could go to Xcel Energy’s website, find Colorado, Residential, Solar Rewards and finally you will find the link that has all these price drops outlined.

What you’ll see is that over time, the overall rebate will continue to drop as each landmark is hit. To the right you’ll see what is in step, meaning how many or what portion of the rebate at that level has been approved (allocated). Now it is important to note that there is a lag time between when an application is submitted and when it is approved. So as you are tracking this, when the REC payment gets closer to filling a particular level, chances are you are already going to be looking at the next REC payment drop. As you’ll notice there are many more Megawatts of REC payments available at the lower payment rates, but this will only add to your out of pocket expense. So the name of the game here is to be able to get your rebate in as soon as possible so you can lock in. From there, we’ll have 9 months to install the system.

DENVER – About two dozen protesters against the use of coal to generate power, rallied in front of the Public Utilities Commission building in Denver Tuesday where the PUC is holding hearings on Xcel’s second rate hike request this year.

The increase would cost the average residential customer 7.6 percent, or $4.92 a month. Xcel was granted a $112 million increase in July.

Those protesting the requested $177.4 million electric-rate increase today say it would allow Xcel to open a coal-fired plant near Pueblo. The Commanche 3 plant is already built.

“We want our electricity and our jobs to come from renewable, clean, free energy, which Colorado has lots of,” said Mimsy Milton of Littleton.

To read more about the protest over the proposed rate change visit 9 news.

Great news for solar energy, Xcel Energy withdrew their proposed rate increase on solar and net metered customers!

Denver, CO – August 4, 2009 – We have just learned that Xcel Energy has withdrawn the proposed increase on solar customers. We want to thank everyone who took the time to write or voice their concerns to the PUC. The response we received was overwhelming, and thanks to you Xcel has withdrawn their proposal for now.

We couldn’t have done this without you so thank you for supporting solar!

Please note that there are additional proposals that may affect electricity rates if you would like to learn more about these proposals please read the PUC request…

Quote from motion to modify tariff document:

“Public Service Company of Colorado, pursuant to Commission Rule 1309(d), hereby moves the Commission for an order permitting the Company to modify the tariff sheets that the Company filed with Advice Letter No. 1535 Electric, to withdraw the Company’s proposal for a minimum transmission and distribution capacity charge for customers in rates schedules Residential R and the Commercial C. This proposed charge would affect primarily customers who have installed solar panels that are provided net metering. Public Service sets forth in this motion good cause for withdrawing this proposal. We do not believe that any party to this docket will be immediately prejudiced by this modification; but as we explain below, the issue that we attempted to address by this minimum bill still needs to be addressed in the future. We are recommending that this issue be addressed through a different process than this current rate case.”

Developing news in the ongoing proposal from Xcel to raise rates on solar energy customers.

Xcel is presently asking for back-to-back rate increases for your utility bill.

These rate increases could total a 13% increase for residential bills and are almost entirely for the costs of investments in fossil fuel generation including the new Unit 3 coal plant in Pueblo (”Comanche 3″), new gas turbines at Fort St. Vrain (which will cost over 30 cents/kwh to run) and millions of extra $$ to pay for operating costs at coal plants and other fossil fuel infrastructure. Xcel is also proposing to charge a new fee to owners of solar systems that are tied to Xcel’s system.

The next public hearing is Wednesday August 5, 2009 from 4-6 pm at the PUC, 1560 Broadway (corner of Broadway and Colfax, at the top of the 16th Street Mall in Denver and across the street from the State Capitol).

Training sessions to provide background information in Boulder (7/30) and Denver (8/3) are optional but will help you understand more why those “cheap” fossil fuels are driving up utility rates….

Monday August 3, 2009, 6-8 pm–Denver Training
Blair Caldwell Library
2400 Welton St.
Denver, CO

Wednesday August 5, 2009, 4-6 pm–PUC Public Hearing
Colorado Public Utilities Commission
1560 Broadway
Denver, CO

Comments can be submitted electronically to
pucconsumer.complaints@dora.state.co.us.

MOST IMPORTANTLY–Tell your elected officials (both state, local) that you are sick of rate increases for fossil fuels, that you want more clean energy and you want better oversight over the PUC to help protect consumers.

It has come to the attention of Bella Energy that Xcel Energy is proposing another rate increase this year. This new measure is targeted specifically at net metered customers and will penalize home owners that have chosen to invest in solar energy.

We need your voice! If you don’t stand up no one will.

We are asking each and every one of our customers, and anyone is considering solar energy for their home, to call or write the PUC to voice their opposition the the proposed rate changes.

The proposal will have a public comment hearing on:
Wednesday, August 5th
4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
1560 Broadway, Suite 1550
Denver, CO 80202

If you cannot attend this meeting, please write the PUC to voice your opposition to the new rate change, and your support for solar energy, BE SURE TO REFERENCE DOCKET #09AL-299E.

Under Xcel’s proposed rate structure:

• Every residence with a solar system will be charged a ratcheted MINIMUM MONTHLY CHARGE-regardless of how much electricity is generated by the solar system in that month. If a solar household purchases electricity from Xcel Energy in ANY twelve-month period, Xcel will charge the customer for that same amount of electricity as A MINIMUM CHARGE EVERY SINGLE MONTH FOR THE NEXT TWELVE MONTHS-even in months when you are producing all of your own electricity!
• If you purchase electricity from Xcel Energy in more than one month, the new minimum monthly charge will be pegged to the month in which you purchase the GREATEST number of kilowatt-hours!
• These charges are IN ADDITION to the current monthly minimum of $7.50 already paid by solar customers!

From the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (CoSEIA)

The Public Service Company of Colorado (aka Xcel Energy) filed a proposal for another rate hike with the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) on May 1st. The proposal also includes a new charge for net metered customers.

CoSEIA and its members believe that both the rate hike and the new charge are discriminatory and designed to penalize Solar Energy Households & Residents with grid-tie solar systems in Xcel territory. These households and residents will be subject to a SOLAR PENALTY under the proposal currently being review by the PUC.

PUBLIC ATTENDANCE AT THE PUC’S PUBLIC HEARING IS IMPERATIVE!

Please spread the word and try to turn out as many voices as possible!

Sincerely,
Beth Hart
Executive Director
CoSEIA