ReferenceLarge-load power by market
Colorado: what a 50 MW connection costs under Xcel Energy (Public Service Co. of Colorado)
What does a 50 MW connection cost in Colorado?
In short. In Colorado, Xcel Energy (Public Service Co. of Colorado) connects a 50 MW load under Large General Service - Transmission large-load tariff (proposed), docket CPUC 26AL-0137E (filed 2026-04-02; pending). Minimum bill: 80% of contracted power over the term plus a minimum monthly bill. Term: 15 years. Realistic energization: 2029 to 2030. Open Factory's Large-Load Cost Table, as of August 21, 2026.
Facts
| Market | Colorado, CO (Xcel (non-RTO; SPP RTO West pending)) |
|---|---|
| Utility | Xcel Energy (Public Service Co. of Colorado) |
| Tariff or rule | Large General Service - Transmission large-load tariff (proposed) |
| Docket | CPUC 26AL-0137E (filed 2026-04-02; pending) |
| Status | pending |
| Large-load threshold | 50 MW |
| Study fee | $120,000 deposit plus load and transmission studies; about $600,000 upfront |
| Security or collateral | security deposit equal to six months of operations |
| Minimum bill | 80% of contracted power over the term plus a minimum monthly bill |
| Contract term | 15 years |
| Ramp | not published |
| Exit fee | sum of all remaining minimum monthly bills |
| CIAC exposure | customer pays 100% of new generation it requires and the transmission to connect; prorated monthly fee for shared upgrades |
| Realistic energization, 50 MW | 2029 to 2030 |
| Verification | PARTIAL (all seven cells reported by Colorado Sun from the filing; docket documents not opened) |
| Data as of | August 21, 2026 |
Questions
What does a 50 MW connection cost in Colorado?
Xcel Energy (Public Service Co. of Colorado): study fee $120,000 deposit plus load and transmission studies; about $600,000 upfront; collateral security deposit equal to six months of operations; minimum bill 80% of contracted power over the term plus a minimum monthly bill; term 15 years.
When can a 50 MW load be energized in Colorado?
2029 to 2030. PSCo needs 950 MW of new generation for large loads within five years; CO PUC approved 6 GW of a 14 GW resource request; Xcel targets 6 GW more of data center contracts by end-2027; no JLL figure.
Which tariff applies to large loads in Colorado?
Large General Service - Transmission large-load tariff (proposed); docket CPUC 26AL-0137E (filed 2026-04-02; pending); status: pending.
Is this rate proposed or approved?
Not yet final: pending. The table carries the filed terms and the docket to watch.
Sources
- Open Factory Large-Load Cost Table
- coloradosun.com (2026-04-02)
- eta-publications.lbl.gov (Appendix 1)
- utilitydive.com (2026-05-06)
Data as of August 21, 2026. This page is rebuilt from the same table the Large-Load Interconnection Cost, the API and the MCP server read, so the figures cannot differ. Also available as plain markdown. Cite as Open Factory, Colorado: what a 50 MW connection costs under Xcel Energy (Public Service Co. of Colorado), August 21, 2026.
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