COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Colorado Springs residents could soon see an increase in their natural gas bills to fund federally mandated safety upgrades.
Colorado Springs Utilities is proposing an $8.54 monthly bill rider charge for residential customers; for commercial and industrial customers, the charge is $18.00 extra monthly. The money will be used to replace old steel gas lines.
"Colorado Springs utilities really prioritizes the safety of our natural gas system. By accelerating this work on our natural gas system, we're able to really ensure the safety of our system, really for the decades to come," Colorado Springs Utilities Pricing and Rates Manager Scott Shirola said.
- Learn more about the natural gas bill rider in the video player below
City Council will hold a rate hearing on the proposal on Tuesday. If approved by the City Council on April 28, the new rates will take effect on July 1. CSU says the program will net roughly $90 million to help it replace around 39 miles of infrastructure each year through 2029.
Click here to learn more about the natural gas bill rider.
The proposed increase comes a few weeks after Colorado Springs Utilities customers saw a slight decrease in their bills. On April 1, the average residential bill dropped by about $7 for natural gas and an estimated $2 for electricity. That added to a savings of just under $10 a month.
- Watch our previous coverage of the decrease in the video player below
Colorado Springs Utilities said those rates changed because they are tied to the cost of fuel.
"I wish it went down more on electric because we have an AC," one customer said during our interview then. "So in the summer, it really goes up."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist, and parts of it have been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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