DENVER - Colorado Springs Utilities could have to raise another $14 million over the next four years through rate increases if a bill promoting energy-efficiency programs passes today, area legislators warned Tuesday.

Advocates of HB 1107 called such talk a ruse, however, and argued that the utilities affected by the bill will save money because they will not have to build as many power plants.

The measure by Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, would require municipally owned utilities and rural electric associations to put 1 percent of their budgets to energy-efficiency programs in 2009 and double that to 2 percent by 2010.

Utilities can choose how to spend that money — such as on education or rebate programs — and can administer the efficiency-promoting programs or can contract with a private company.

Springs Utilities now spends about $3 million a year on energy-efficiency measures but would have to roughly double that under the proposal, said Dan Hodges, government affairs liaison for the cityowned utility.

Hodges did not say where that money would come from, but Colorado Springs Republican Rep. Larry Liston argued on the House floor that affected utilities across the state could have to raise rates.

“Don’t stick it to the municipal-owned utilities,” Liston said.

Levy noted, however, that the average cost of implementing the bill would be less than $3 per ratepayer per year. Meanwhile, its implementation is expected to save 420 megawatts of peak power demand by 2020 — enough power to take one coal-fired power plant off-line.

“This bill will save enough energy to power 170,000 new homes,” Levy said.

The measure received preliminary approval on a voice vote Tuesday, but opponents believe they may have enough support to kill it on a final vote today.

CONTACT THE WRITER: (303) 837-0613 or ed.sealover@gazette.com