Electricity Consumption
Date Updated: 03/22/2011
Chart Directory:
According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), Colorado ranked 35th in the nation for total electricity consumption per capita in 2008. Colorado's electric utilities generate most of their energy (70%) by burning coal and approximately 25% using natural gas-fired plants. Currently, a minimal amount (5%) of electricity is generated with renewable resources, such as wind, hydro, biomass, or solar.
Electricity suppliers in Larimer County include Platte River Power Authority, which generates and delivers electricity to its owner communities of Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont and Loveland, where it is distributed by each municipal utility to residents and businesses. The Platte River Power Authority generates electricity with coal burning and natural gas generators, wind turbines, and hydro (water powered) facilities.
Fort Collins Utilities provides electric service to more than 62,000 homes and businesses in the community. Loveland Utilities was formed in 1925 and serves 32,399 customers. Estes Park Light and Power serves about 10,500 customers. Other municipalities and rural areas in Larimer County are supplied electricity by the Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association (PVREA) and Public Service Company of Colorado (PSCo), a subsidiary of Xcel Energy. Poudre Valley REA was formed in 1939 and serves 35,676 customers in Larimer, Weld and Boulder Counties. PSCo [pdf] was incorporated in 1924 and serves approximately 1.4 million electric customers in Colorado (County data unavailable).
How Electricity is Measured:
Electricity for individual customers is usually measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). One kWh represents the amount of energy needed by a 1000-Watt device (e.g. clothes iron, microwave oven) to operate for one hour. Leaving a 100-Watt light bulb on for 10 hours consumes 1 kWh of energy. The U.S. Department of Energy provides information on calculating your energy consumption as well as the wattages of many common appliances. According to the Energy Information Administration (EIA), in 2008, the average monthly residential electricity consumption was 920 kilowatt-hours (kWh). The EIA reports space cooling (e.g., air conditioning) accounted for 16.5% of residential electricity consumption in 2008, followed by lighting (15.4%).
For larger entities, such as institutions or geographical areas (universities, hospital systems, or cities/states) measuring electricity in kWh results in large and unmanageable numbers. In these cases, the preferred unit of measure is the megawatt-hour (mWh) which is the equivalent of 1,000 kilowatt-hours. The energy in 1 megawatt-hour is sufficient to power one thousand 100-Watt light bulbs for 10 hours, or to run a household-size dishwasher (1200-Watt) nonstop for approximately 34 days, 17 hours.
What this chart shows: Electricity Consumed in Colorado by Sector, 2000-2009
Data Source: Energy Information Administration - Electric Power Annual Data - State Data Tables See data table
What these data tell us:
Between 2000 and 2009, Colorado consumed 18.7% more electricity overall. Of the three sectors shown, the Industrial sector increased the most (36%) during this period, followed by Residential (24%). Although Transportation consisted of only 0.1% of total electricity consumption in 2009, it had the largest increase (389%) over the last 10 years. See the data table for the number of MWhs consumed by each sector.What this chart shows: Electricity Consumed in Fort Collins by Sector, 2006-2010
Data Source: City of Fort Collins Utilities Department (data not available online)
What these data tell us:
Total electricity consumption in Fort Collins increased 2.7% between 2006 and 2010. The residential sector consumed 6.1% more electricity in 2010 than 2009, compared to a 1.6% increase in commercial sector consumption and a 0.5% increase in industrial sector consumption.In January 2009, the City of Fort Collins adopted their 2009 Energy Policy [pdf] with four express goals: provide highly reliable electric service; reducing the City's carbon footprint by 20% below 2005 levels by 2020 and 80% by 2050; enhance local economic health; and work closely with Platte River Power Authority to further the City's energy policy goals.
What this chart shows: Electricity Consumed in Loveland, 2006-2010
Data Source: City of Loveland Water and Power Department (data not available online)
What these data tell us:
From 2006 to 2010, total electricity consumption in Loveland increased by 8.4%. The commercial sector saw the largest increase (15%) during this time. The 2008 spike in the industrial sector was most likely caused by a short-term change in manufacturing processes.Additional Information:
Related Information on COMPASS -
Other Resources -
- City of Fort Collins Utilities Department - Light and Power: Information on the department responsible for providing electricity in Fort Collins.
- City of Loveland Water and Power Department: Information on the department responsible for providing electricity in Loveland.
- Colorado Quick Facts: Information, provided by the U.S. Energy Information Administration, on Colorado's natural resources and energy production.
- Energy Foundation: A partnership of major foundations interested in sustainable energy.
- ENERGYGuide: Find a new energy supplier, analyze energy usage, or purchase highly energy efficient products that save money, energy, and the environment.
- Platte River Power Authority: Information on the power generation facility for the municipalities of Fort Collins, Loveland, Estes Park and Longmont.
- Poudre Valley Rural Electricity Association (PVREA): Information on the electricity co-op responsible for providing electricity to Larimer County's rural areas.
- United States Department of Energy - Energy Information Administration: Extensive data on United States energy generation, sales, and use.
- United States Department of Energy: Provides several energy calculators to help evaluate home energy use and the need for energy-efficiency improvements .
- Xcel Energy: Information on another provider of electricity and other energy in Larimer County.
Standards or Targets:
Energy Star: A government-backed program helping businesses and individuals protect the environment through superior energy efficiency. The program sets energy efficient standards for construction, home appliances, and others. Included are strategies for more energy efficient homes and businesses.
Data Tables:
Electricity (MWh) Consumed in Colorado by Sector
|
Year |
Residential |
Commercial |
Industrial |
Transportation |
Total |
|
2000 |
14,029,000 | 19,028,000 | 9,955,000 | 9,000 | 43,012,000 |
|
2001 |
14,470,000 | 18,836,000 | 10,918,000 | 11,000 | 44,224,000 |
|
2002 |
15,425,000 | 19,802,000 | 10,672,000 | 37,000 | 45,899,000 |
|
2003 |
15,725,000 | 19,657,000 | 11,076,000 | 37,000 | 46,458,000 |
|
2004 |
15,532,000 | 19,498,000 | 11,675,000 | 19,000 | 46,705,000 |
|
2005 |
16,436,000 | 19,845,958 | 12,052,000 | 19,000 | 48,334,000 |
|
2006 |
16,952,000 | 20,152,638 | 12,605,000 | 25,000 | 49,710,000 |
|
2007 |
17,634,000 | 20,508,000 | 13,113,000 | 44,000 | 51,255,000 |
|
2008 |
17,720,000 | 20,551,000 | 13,822,000 | 49,000 | 52,093,000 |
|
2009 |
17,413,000 | 20,008,000 | 13,571,000 | 44,000 | 51,036,000 |
Electricity (MWh) Consumed in Fort Collins by Sector
|
Year |
Residential |
Commercial |
Industrial |
Street Lighting |
Total |
|
2006 |
467,812 | 482,252 | 454,720 | 8,236 | 1,413,020 |
|
2007 |
484,964 | 493,537 | 464,360 | 8,422 | 1,451,283 |
|
2008 |
472,383 | 500,222 | 457,193 | 8,546 | 1,438,344 |
|
2009 |
465,543 | 492,897 | 446,090 | 8,534 | 1,413,064 |
|
2010 |
494,038 | 500,597 | 448,107 | 8,526 | 1,451,268 |
Electricity (MWh) Consumed in Loveland by Sector
|
Year |
Residential |
Commercial |
Industrial |
Street Lighting |
Total |
|
2006 |
230,062 | 80,262 | 315,086 | 93 | 625,503 |
|
2007 |
238,496 | 84,200 | 331,515 | 91 | 654,302 |
|
2008 |
234,188 | 83,950 | 374,120 | 62 | 692,320 |
|
2009 |
233,210 | 89,573 | 327,408 | 104 | 650,295 |
|
2010 |
246,811 | 91,911 | 339,298 | 105 | 678,125 |