Polis Signs Legislation to Save Coloradans Money on their Energy Bill

FORT COLLINS, CO –  Governor Jared Polis today signed legislation to save Coloradans money on their energy bill. HB24-1370, sponsored by Representatives Cathy Kipp, Jenny Willford and Senator Faith Winter, will expand opportunities for neighborhood-scale energy projects as alternatives to natural gas.

“Expanding and maintaining natural gas infrastructure is expensive, and this law will help drive down the cost of natural gas in communities across the state by strategically exploring opportunities to utilize alternative energy sources, ” said Rep. Cathy Kipp, D-Fort Collins. “By creating pilot communities which use alternatives to natural gas, we can help reach our climate goals and expand cost-effective alternative energy sources into homes across our state. This law saves people money on their energy bill and speeds up our clean energy transition.”

“As natural gas pipelines age, consumers are on the hook for expensive upgrades and replacements, but  we can reduce the cost of natural gas and our carbon footprint if we help interested communities explore alternative energy sources  and save hardworking families money on their energy bill,” said Rep. Jenny Willford, D-Northglenn. “This law breaks down barriers for local governments, making it easier for them to explore alternatives to natural gas that will reduce the cost of energy for communities across the state.”

HB24-1370 will help interested local governments develop neighborhood-scale energy projects, like geothermal systems, that provide an alternative to natural gas to reduce costs and lower emissions, saving Coloradans money while reducing our state’s carbon footprint. The goal of this law is to streamline alternative energy solutions in communities across the state to help reach Colorado’s climate goals and save Coloradans money on their energy bill.

This law would require the Colorado Energy Office to identify up to five local governments served by a dual-fuel utility that are interested in becoming a gas planning pilot community and create a proposal. The proposal would be submitted and approved by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), and the approved local governments would enter into an agreement with a utility to identify and develop neighborhood-scale alternatives projects. Under this law, local governments and the utility must submit a plan for at least one project to the PUC by June 1, 2026.