Like many families and businesses across our community, your electric cooperative is facing rising costs. We understand any increase can affect your budget, and we do not take that lightly.
Beginning in January 2027, members will see an approximate 4.2% increase to their electric bill through a Power Cost Adjustment.
I want you to understand what is driving that increase, what the impact to your household might be, and what we are doing so your electric rate remains the lowest in Colorado moving forward.
Our wholesale power supplier, Tri-State, recently increased the cost of the power we purchase by approximately 6.5%, representing an estimated $9.5 million in additional annual expenses for your cooperative.
Our commitment to you remains clear: protect our members from as much of that impact as possible.
Through years of careful financial planning, improved system efficiency, better use of technology, and disciplined spending, we have been able to manage rising costs over time rather than immediately passing the full amount of increases on to our members.
Some factors are outside our control, including inflation, fuel prices, and wholesale power expenses. What we can control is how responsibly we operate your cooperative to control costs, improve efficiency, and maximize the value we deliver to you.
We know there are questions about data centers and electric rates. This adjustment is not the result of a data center. It is driven by higher wholesale power costs.
PVREA remains committed to a growth-pays-for-growth approach, ensuring new growth covers the costs required to serve it rather than shifting those costs to existing members.
In the months ahead we will share more information about large loads and the electric grid, including the factors controlled locally and those driven by the broader regional power system.
Page 6 has a breakdown of anticipated impacts for an average household.
Even after this adjustment, PVREA will still provide the lowest electric rates in Colorado.
We thank you for the trust you place in us and remain committed to be the co-op you can count on for years to come.
By Jeff Wadsworth, PVREA President & CEO
