Electricity rate reference
SolarCalcNow currently uses 17.13 cents/kWh for Colorado.
$0.1713/kWh
17.13 ¢/kWh
EIA Table 5.6.A, June 2026 residential column; published August 26, 2026. Divide the published cents/kWh by 100. This preliminary statewide average is a fallback, not your utility tariff. Use your bill's energy-only rate; fixed charges remain payable.
A statewide residential average is a consistent early-planning input, not a reproduction of one utility bill. SolarCalcNow uses it to value electricity consumed directly from the solar system and to establish the annual energy-charge ceiling in the savings model. The calculation does not assume solar removes fixed charges, minimum bills, demand charges, taxes, or every time-of-use period. It also values exported production separately under the selected export assumption. This separation lets you test the effect of a different rate or export value without changing the system's physical production target.
Colorado's strong solar resource can support production, while snow, roof tilt, and usable roof planes can move a site-specific result away from the state model. The statewide electricity rate values energy in the savings calculation but does not alter the physical production assumption. Review those inputs separately so a proposal cannot compensate for weak production by quietly assuming a higher electricity value.
A full-year bill history is especially useful when heating, cooling, or future electric loads create seasonal changes. SolarCalcNow annualizes usage and keeps detailed utility schedules outside the model until reviewed tariff records exist. Confirm fixed charges, export settlement, and the account's current rate plan with the serving utility, then compare installer production and gross-price assumptions against the same documented baseline.
These values come from the existing calculator engine. They multiply the annualized usage scenario by the source-linked state rate and do not include fixed charges, future rate increases, or a utility-specific tariff.
| Monthly usage | Annual usage | Modeled energy charge |
|---|---|---|
| 600 kWh | 7,200 kWh | $1,233 |
| 900 kWh | 10,800 kWh | $1,850 |
| 1,200 kWh | 14,400 kWh | $2,467 |
The calculator estimates bill savings from self-consumed solar at the selected residential rate. A higher rate can shorten payback, while a lower rate makes installed cost and export credit assumptions more important.
Utility plans, time-of-use pricing, net billing, fixed charges, and export credits can differ from a statewide average. Check your bill and utility tariff before treating a planning estimate as a quote.