Running central air conditioning or pool pumps could lead to a bigger Xcel Energy bills under new tiered rates that will charge big residential electricity consumers more during the summer.
The Public Utilities Commission today approved the new two-tiered rate system as part of Xcel’s previously approved $128.3 million rate increase.
“For years, consumers have advocated ‘the more you use, the more you pay’ for electricity,” PUC Chairman Ron Binz said in a statement. “Today, we’re making that slogan a reality.”
Under the plan, between June and September, Xcel’s 1.1 million residential customers will be charged a lower rate for the first 500 kilowatt-hours and higher rate all electricity above that amount.
The commission’s written order, with the details of the rates, will not be issued for a few weeks.
It appears that the difference between the blocks will be about 3 cents a kilowatt-hour, according to Bill Levis, director of Colorado Office of Consumer Counsel.
The typical residential customer uses about 687 kilowatt-hours a month during the four-month summer period, according to the utilities commission. So the higher block rate might add about $5.60 to a bill.
Xcel is awaiting the written order before trying to calculate the impact on average bills, said company spokesman Tom Henley.
