Colorado Springs Utilities

This strategic plan, a four-year roadmap from 2026 to 2030, outlines the direction for The Utilities Board. It is centered on three strategic pillars: Reliability, Rates, and Relationships, and guided by five organization-wide objectives: Operational Excellence, Focus on the Customer, Financial Accountability, Support Our Community, and Enable Employee Empowerment. The plan aims to provide safe, reliable, and competitively priced utilities, while fostering a culture of continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, responsible resource stewardship, community contribution, and employee well-being, aligning with its vision of being ready for today and prepared for a sustainable future.

The Excellence in Governance Policy Manual outlines the governance framework for Colorado Springs Utilities, detailing the roles, responsibilities, and authorities of the City Council, Utilities Board, and Chief Executive Officer. It establishes the organization's mission to provide safe, reliable, and competitively-priced utilities, with a vision focused on sustainability. The strategic priorities emphasize balancing rates, reliability, and relationships, with a primary focus on rates, to ensure benefits for citizens. The manual also sets forth instructions and guidelines for operational management across financial health, risk, infrastructure, customer treatment, staff, environmental stewardship, and community investment, with expected results targeted for 2025.

This document details the Kelker Substation Expansion project, which is a key component of the entity's sustainable energy plan. The plan involves significant investment in electric infrastructure, including transmission lines, distribution, and substations. The expansion specifically addresses the growing energy needs in the southeast and downtown areas of Colorado Springs and incorporates advanced safety features. The project is anticipated to be completed in 2027, contributing to a sustainable energy future for customers.

Colorado Springs Utilities outlines its strategic vision for navigating the radical transformation of the electric sector over the next 15 years. The plan emphasizes empowering customers with increased choices, control over energy use, and opportunities for self-generation and storage. Key priorities include ensuring seamless 24/7 electricity provision, fostering strong partnerships with customers, and enhancing community connections to deliver added value to businesses and homes.

The Unified Development Code for Colorado Springs focuses on comprehensive land and water use planning to achieve significant water conservation within a rapidly growing community. Key strategies include optimizing zoning regulations to facilitate smaller single-family residential lots and midrise multi-family developments, which have been shown to reduce outdoor water consumption. Additionally, the code mandates water-wise landscaping practices, limiting turf grass to 25% and promoting the use of native and drought-resilient plants, thereby ensuring attractive, resilient, and efficiently maintained urban landscapes.