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Colorado rates and regulatory information

Colorado electric

Tariff and regulatory documents

A tariff is a group of schedules filed with our regulatory commissions. Tariffs contain basic rates, supplemental rates or riders, and general terms and conditions for providing utility service.

The rates don’t apply to a residence used for commercial, professional or business activities. But if the domestic use can be separately metered from the business activities, then these rates would apply to the domestic part.

We consider a single-family dwelling one in which four sleeping rooms or more are rented or are available for rent as non-domestic, and the applicable general service rate applies.

On November 30, 2021, the company filed an advice letter with revised tariff to amend the Energy Payment Rate (Avoided Cost Rate or Average Hourly Incremental Cost of Electricity) in the company’s Colorado P.U.C. No. 11 Tariff for Co-generation and Small Power Production Facilities. The proposed effective date is January 1, 2022. The revised tariff will increase the Energy Payment rate by 31.6% from $0.02757/kWh to $0.03326/kWh. 

This tariff affects any customers serviced under the Co-generation and Small Power Production rate. The company currently has no customers serviced under this rate.

Some customers served under the Company’s net metering service are affected by the rate amendment. Net metering customers can elect to receive payment at this filed rate at the end of the calendar year for any excess generation produced from their systems that is above the amount of their energy consumption. They can also choose to roll any excess kWh over as a usage bill credit to the next calendar year rather than take the cash payment. The amendment increases the payment that Black Hills makes to net metering customers for excess energy produced from a customer’s energy production system.

 

 

 

On November 15, 2021, Black Hills Energy filed amended tariffs at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.  The filing was assigned Proceeding No. 21AL-0540E.  The filing amends the CSG Fixed Bill Credits for customers subscribing to Community Solar Gardens effective on January 1, 2022.  The amended CSG Fixed Bill Credits are shown below.  

Class Subclass Current CSG Fixed Bill Credit per kWh Proposed 2022 CSG Fixed Bill Credit
per kWh		 $ Difference Percent Change
Residential Regular $0.1181  $0.1180 -$0.0001 -0.08%
Residential Other $0.0937 $0.0921 -$0.0016 -1.71%
Small General Service Non-Demand $0.1207 $0.1200 -$0.0007 -0.58%
Small General Service Demand $0.0954  $0.0942 -$0.0012 -1.26%
Large General Service Demand  $0.0832  $0.0827 -$0.0005 -0.60%
Large General Service Primary $0.0803  $0.0802 -$0.0001 -0.12%
Large Power Service Secondary $0.0640  $0.0610 -$0.0030 -4.69%
Large Power Service Primary $0.0668  $0.0644 -$0.0024 -3.59%
Large Power Service Transmission $0.0738  $0.0816 $0.0078 10.57%
Irrigation Pumping $0.1054  $0.1065 $0.0011 1.04%

You may contact Black Hills Energy at BHESolar@blackhillscorp.com with questions or call 888-890-5554.

What you need to know about the annual Transmission Cost Adjustment (TCA)

On November 1, 2021, Black Hills Energy filed its annual Transmission Cost Adjustment (“TCA”). The TCA is a monthly surcharge on all customers’ bills to pay for the costs of maintaining and improving the high-voltage transmission system that ensures the safe, reliable delivery of energy across our southern Colorado service territory.

The TCA is updated on an annual basis to allow Black Hills to recover construction costs incurred the previous year for projects related to our transmission towers and structures, high-voltage transmission lines, and substations – critical infrastructure necessary for carrying high-voltage electricity quickly and efficiently to the lower voltage distribution system that serves homes and businesses.

The 2022 TCA rate will be $0.005072 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Based on this rate, the average residential customer monthly bill would see an increase of 89 cents, going from $104.78 per month to $105.67 per month. The average small commercial customer monthly bill would see an increase of $3.42, from $341.48 per month to $344.90 per month. The 2022 TCA rate will be in effect from Jan. 1, 2022 through Dec. 31, 2022.

Black Hills Energy has filed to adjust its ECA rate on July 1, 2022, pending approval by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission in Proceeding No. 22AL-0234E. The new rate will increase to $0.06088 per kWh, passing along $19M of additional costs incurred by the company. The current rate is $0.05101 per kWh. The new rate will increase a typical residential bill by $6.21, or 5.52%, and increase a typical small commercial bill by $10.47, or 2.76%.

You may view the filing documents here:

Black Hills Energy has filed tariffs with the Colo. Public Utilities Commission (“PUC”) to bill the new Energy Assistance System Benefit Charge (“EASBC”) on October 1, 2021.  PUC assigned Proceeding No. 21AL-0400E to the Company’s filing.  EASBC was mandated in Colo. House Bill 1105 (2021).  EASBC supports low-income assistance and is administered by Energy Outreach Colorado (“EOC”).  Customers may contact EOC at 1-866-HEAT-HELP to qualify for the low-income assistance.  Customers may opt out of EASBC by contacting Black Hills Energy at email address eaoptout@blackhillscorp.com.  Customers who have received low-income assistance in the previous twelve months will be automatically exempted from EASBC billings for the succeeding twelve months. 

You may view the PUC filing documents here:

PUBLIC COMMENT HEARING FOR BLACK HILLS COLORADO ELECTRIC, LLC ON FEBRUARY COLD WEATHER EVENT.

The Public Utilities Commission is conducting a virtual public hearing open to customers on September 21, 2021, regarding Black Hills Energy’s costs incurred during the February 2021 extreme weather event. For more information, see https://puc.colorado.gov/puccalendar

Attachment 1 - BH Electric Customer Notice

Hearing Exhibit 100, BH Electric Verified Application

Hearing Exhibit 101,  Attachment MJH-1 - February Event Cost

Hearing Exhibit 101, Attachment MJH-2 - Amortization and Bill Impacts (1)

Hearing Exhibit 101, Attachment MJH-3 - Pro forma Tariffs (1)

Hearing Exhibit 101, Attachment MJH-4 - Securitization Analysis

Hearing Exhibit 101, Attachment MJH-6 - Customer Communication Examples (1)

Hearing Exhibit 101, Attachment MJH-6 - Customer Communication Examples (2)

Hearing Exhibit 101, Direct Testimony of Michael J. Harrington (2)

Hearing Exhibit 102,  Attachment DES-1 - Pueblo Historical DA Temp Forecasts

Hearing Exhibit 102, Attachment DES-2- BHCOE Load Forecasts and Actuals

Hearing Exhibit 102, Attachment DES-3 - Summary Day Ahead and Actual Pricing

Hearing Exhibit 102, Attachment DES-4 - Load and Resource Stack

Hearing Exhibit 102, Attachment DES-5 - February 11 Energy Sales

Hearing Exhibit 102, Direct Testimony of Donald Stahl

Hearing Exhibit 103,  Attachment KJK-3 - Market Sale

Hearing Exhibit 103, Direct Testimony of Kent J. Kopetzky

On May 8, 2020, we filed an application at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission for the approval of our first Transportation Electrification Plan, or TEP. This was our first TEP required by Colorado Senate Bill 19-077, and if approved, will be effective for three years until the end of 2024. 

We designed our TEP to encourage transportation electrification while minimizing costs and giving our customers the power to shape what the electric vehicle industry in southern Colorado. The TEP consists of 4 major parts: 1) customer education and outreach, 2) rebates on EV charging equipment, 3) new rates for EV charging, and 4) classifying EV charging equipment as permanent load for the purposes of line extensions. To avoid customer confusion with a new line on customer bills, we have proposed to streamline the cost-recovery of the TEP by combining it with our Demand Side Management Cost Adjustment.  We estimate that an average residential customer will see their monthly bill increase approximately 0.24%, or $0.19 in 2022, $0.21 in 2023, and $0.24 in 2024. We estimate that an average Small General Service customer will see their monthly bill increase 0.24%, or $0.71 in 2022, $0.77 in 2023, and $0.87 in 2024.

On November 26th, 2019, Busch Ranch II Wind Project achieved an official commercial operation. Per Rule 3613(j) of the Commission’s Rules, please see below for the now public documents filed in Proceeding No. 16A-0436E that were previously filed as Highly Confidential.

On November 6, 2020, we filed Advice Letter 793 at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission for new ATO Dual Feeder Service. If approved, the service becomes effective December 8, 2020. ATO Dual Feeder Service is available to non-residential, demand-metered customers who need service from an alternate substation in case of interruption at the primary substation source. Customers are responsible for equipment and installation costs of an Automated Throw Over (“ATO”) device, for line extension or dedicated feeder costs as necessary, and for a Monthly Reserved Capacity Charge at rates specified in the tariff.

You may view the filed documents here:

On November 17, 2020, Black Hills Energy filed amended tariffs at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. The filing was assigned Proceeding No. 20AL-0513E. The filing amends the CSG Fixed Bill Credits for customers subscribing to Community Solar Gardens effective on January 1, 2021. The amended CSG Fixed Bill Credits comply with new Commission rules adopted in Decision No C20-0628. Specifically, the new Commission rules require that the Demand Side Management Cost Adjustment (“DSMCA”) be deducted from the CSG Fixed Bill Credits calculation. As a result, CSG Fixed Bill Credits are generally lower than in the previous annual period as shown in the table below:

Class Subclass Current CSG Fixed Bill Credit per kWh Proposed 2021 CSG Fixed Bill Credit per kWh $ Difference Percentage Change
Residential Regular $0.1221 $0.1181 $(0.0040) -3.24%
Residential Other $0.0970 $0.0937 $(0.0032) -3.34%
Small General Service Non-Demand $0.1252 $0.1207 $(0.0045) -3.60%
Small General Service Demand $0.1006 $0.0954 $(0.0053) -5.23%
Large General Service Secondary $0.0869 $0.0832 $(0.0037) -4.25%
Large General Service Primary $0.0829 $0.0803 $(0.0027) -3.20%
Large Power Service Secondary $0.0621 $0.0640 $0.0019 3.02%
Large Power Service Primary $0.0687 $0.0668 $(0.0019) -2.79%
Large Power Service Transmission $0.0719 $0.0738 $0.0019 2.71%
Irrigation Pumping $0.1207 $0.1054 $(0.0153) -12.68%

 

You may view the filing documents here. You may contact Black Hills Energy at 888-890-5554 or 719-546-5885 with questions.

On November 15, 2021, Black Hills Colorado Electric filed Advice Letter No. 815 at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.

The principal purpose of this annual filing is to amend the Company’s PCCA tariff sheets to reflect the incremental purchased capacity-related costs. The PCCA recovers the incremental cost of purchased capacity above the level of purchased capacity costs included in base rates. This PCCA filing represents the incremental purchased capacity costs for the period January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2021. The proposed PCCA rate is $0.00145/kWh for Residential and Energy Only Customers, $0.00130/kWh for Small General Service customers, $0.36983/kW for Large General Service customers, and $0.44670/kW for Large Power Service customers.

If permitted to go into effect on January 1, 2021, the tariff revisions will result in increased annualized revenues of approximately $460,792, as compared to the 2021 PCCA rates that are currently in effect. Based on the proposed PCCA rates, the average residential customer monthly bill, under Rate Schedule RS-1 with an average usage of 600 kWh per month, will increase $0.23, from $104.78 to $105.01, or 0.22%. The average small commercial customer monthly bill, under Rate Schedule SGS-N with an average usage of 2,300 kWh per month, will increase $0.72, from $341.48 to $342.21, or 0.21%.

Attachment 1 - Placeholder Customer Notice

Appendix A - Tariff Sheet Nos. 85-86

Appendix B - Redlined Tariff Sheet Nos. 85-86

Appendix C - PCCA Calculation

PCCA Advice Letter No. 815

PCCA Motion for Alt Form of Notice

On December 17, 2021, Black Hills Energy filed tariffs at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.  The filing was assigned Proceeding No. 21AL-0617E.  The tariffs apply to all classes of customers and all classes of service where a customer-owned generating facility is requested to interconnect and operate in parallel with the Company’s distribution system.  The tariffs propose terms and conditions governing interconnections service.  The tariffs include provision for customer-owned meter collar adapters from the statutory requirements in Senate Bill 21-261.  The tariffs propose new fees for interconnection requests as follows:

Application description Fee amount
Pre-application $250
Level one $380
Level two $760
Level three $760


You may view the filing documents below.  You may contact Black Hills Energy at BHESolar@blackhillscorp.com with questions or call 888-890-5554.

Colorado natural gas

Tariff and regulatory documents

A tariff is a group of schedules filed with our regulatory commissions. Tariffs contain basic rates, supplemental rates or riders, and general terms and conditions for providing utility service.

More information

Filings and adjustments

On October 15, 2021, the Company filed a request with the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Colorado that reflects a proposed change to the Company’s GCA rate. The proposed amendment reflects updates to the forecasted gas commodity and upstream demand costs for the period November 1, 2021 – October 31, 2022, in addition to the deferred GCA costs as of June 30, 2021. The proposed GCA tariff will affect all retail customers if the Commission allows the tariff to become effective. If approved, the amendments will become effective November 1, 2021. The Commission has opened Proceeding No. 21L-0491G for the Company’s filing. The filing documents are below for your viewing. Estimated customer bill impacts can be found on “GCA Attachment No. 7” in the “BHCG GCA Public Attachments 1-13” document below.

PUBLIC COMMENT HEARING FOR BLACK HILLS COLORADO GAS, INC ON FEBRUARY COLD WEATHER EVENT.

The Public Utilities Commission is conducting a virtual public hearing open to customers on September 22, 2021, regarding Black Hills Energy’s costs incurred during the February 2021 extreme weather event. For more information, see https://puc.colorado.gov/puccalendar
 

On January 12, 2022, the Company filed a request with the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Colorado to update its line extension tariffs.  The purpose of this filing is to establish an equivalent line extension policy among all of the Company’s service territories and determine the appropriate construction allowance for new gas service customers.  The construction allowance is the portion borne by the Company of the upfront costs of connecting a typical new customer to the Company’s system. The Commission has opened Proceeding No. 22AL-0026G for the Company’s filing.  The filing documents are below for your viewing.  Rates for existing customers are not impacted by these proposed changes to the Construction Allowance.  

Black Hills Energy (“BH Colorado Gas” or “Company”) 7060 Alegre Street Fountain, Colorado 80817, has filed with the Public Utilities Commission of the State of Colorado (“Commission”), in accordance with the Public Utilities Law, an advice letter for permission to change rates through the Demand Side Management Cost Adjustment (“DSMCA”) to become effective on July 1, 2022. The purpose of this filing is to recover the costs associated with the Company’s demand-side management programs as well as the earned Lost Revenue component of the rate pursuant to the Commission’s rules. The revised rates will affect all customers subject to the DSMCA if the Commission allows the rate adjustment to become effective.