Xcel Energy on Monday asked state regulators to approve a 2.6 percent hike in electric rates in the second quarter of 2009.
For a typical residential customer, the hike would translate into a $1.43 increase in the electricity portion of the monthly energy bill. For a small business, it would be a $2.33 monthly jump.
If the new rate is approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, a typical residential bill would be $56.23; a typical small-business bill would be $89.91. The bills, on average, would be about 14 percent lower than the second quarter of 2008.
The total increase comes to $14.6 million.
Xcel overcollected $61.5 million from customers in the first quarter because of falling prices of natural gas, a fuel used to generate electricity. But the utility expects to pay more than $76 million in the second quarter for electricity costs, prompting it to request the increase.
Xcel serves 1.2 million electric customers in Colorado.
Gargi Chakrabarty: 303-954-2976 or gchakrabarty@
