Fort Collins Utilities rate increases set for 2027

Fort Collins Utilities rates for electricity, water, stormwater and wastewater service are officially set to go up in 2027.

City Council approved the increases — amounting to about 9% across all four utilities — during their Nov 3. meeting.

The increases have been discussed publicly many times for several months as part of discussions on planned capital projects.

For example, the city wants to build infrastructure to store its senior water rights, possibly by joining the Northern Integrated Supply Project, which proposes to build Glade Reservoir.

Water main breaks have been surging across the city in recent years, and additional investment is needed to plan for them.

The Drake Water Reclamation Facility needs significant capital investment after a report found much of it is past its useful life.

Electric rate increases are driven by the wholesale power prices from Platte River Power Authority and Fort Collins' planned electric infrastructure upgrades.

That 9% increase is expected to raise the average residential customer's bill by $18.86 cents per month, according to estimates.

For the average commercial customer, such as a small restaurant, rates are expected to go up 8.7%, or $116 per month.

Here's how the rate increases break down by utility:

• Electricity:7%

• Water:15%

• Wastewater:10%

• Stormwater:5%

Rates have been estimated to increase by the same amounts in 2028, as well. But the water rates might not go up as much, depending on what happens with the water storage project. The estimates were created when the city was still planning to enlarge Halligan Reservoir. Staff said joining the NISP project could save ratepayers money.

Fort Collins Utilities provides power to about 81,000 residential and commercial electric customers and water to about 35,000 water customers.

Utilities staff say even with the increases, Fort Collins' rates are still in the middle of the pack when compared to nearby peers, like Loveland, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder and Colorado Springs.

Utilities already offers payment assistance for low-income customers through two different programs . In 2027, it plans to launch a new emergency fund program to provide one-time assistance without income qualifications.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Fort Collins Utilities rate increases set for 2027