Colorado Springs Utilities Net Metering Changes: What Homeowners Need to Know
Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) has approved changes to its solar net metering program. If you’re considering solar, April 1, 2027 is a key date. Customers whose net metering agreements are dated before then will transition to the new net metering rates on April 1, 2032. An agreement delays that transition, but it does not guarantee future electric prices or rate designs. Read CSU’s approved changes.
What are the two new rate options?
When customers transition to the new net metering structure, CSU says they will choose between two options:
Option 1: Grid Access Charge
This option includes a fixed daily grid access charge and time-of-day rates. Electricity used during on-peak hours, 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, is priced differently from electricity used during off-peak hours. Monthly rollover of kilowatt-hour credits is not available under this option.
A battery can help here by storing solar energy produced during the day for use during the evening, when on-peak prices apply.
Option 2: Demand Charge
This option has a flat rate per kilowatt-hour plus a demand charge based on your highest on-peak 15-minute draw from the grid during the billing period. Bills may vary depending on how much power your home needs at once during peak hours. CSU says existing customers can keep monthly rollover of kilowatt-hour credits under this option.
This option is especially worth considering for homeowners with a battery. A Tesla Powerwall can use stored energy to support your home during on-peak hours, reducing how much power you draw from the grid. In the Tesla app, Savings mode can use your utility rate information to help determine when the Powerwall charges and discharges. Reducing peak grid use could help lower the demand that determines this charge, although results depend on your energy use, battery charge, and system settings.
Why pair solar with a battery?
A battery lets you store more of the solar energy your panels produce during the day and use it when your home needs it later. That increases solar self-consumption and gives you more control over grid use as CSU’s rates change.
It also provides a benefit right away: backup power. When properly configured for backup, a solar and battery system can keep selected parts of your home powered during an outage. Solar panels alone typically shut down when the grid goes down.
A battery won’t eliminate fixed utility charges or guarantee a particular bill. But pairing solar with storage can help you use more of your own energy, manage peak grid use, and protect your home during outages.
Already have solar? Explore adding a Tesla Powerwall. Planning a new system? Photon Brothers can help design solar and battery storage around your energy use and backup priorities.
Plan Your Solar + Battery System
Pairing solar with battery now provides you with backup power immediately, maximizes self-consumption, and keeps your home positioned for CSU’s future rate structure.
