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CO SB148

CO SB148
Financing Utility On-Bill Repayment Program


summary

Introduced
03/25/2026
In Committee
04/13/2026
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
05/07/2026

Introduced Session

Potential new amendment
2026 Regular Session

Bill Summary

The Colorado Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) is a nonprofit institution with experience administering clean energy financing programs and is the designated green bank for the federal environmental protection agency's region 8. The CCEF administers an on-bill repayment program (program) to help finance certain energy-related upgrades installed at a utility customer's premises that are associated with the utility meter. Under the program, in partnership with Colorado-based utilities, the CCEF finances energy-related upgrades that are then repaid through a customer's monthly utility bill payments. The bill directs the state treasurer to, on August 15, 2026, execute a loan agreement with the CCEF for a low-interest loan of $50 million from the unclaimed property trust fund.The purpose of the loan is to capitalize and expand the CCEF's on-bill repayment program and to accelerate utility adoption of the program. The Colorado energy office is required to review the design of the program before August 1, 2026. The bill specifies certain requirements for the program and for a utility to access the funding for the program, including requirements related to disclosures, notices, transfers of responsibility for an on-bill repayment obligation, and interest rates. The CCEF is required to submit annual reports to the joint budget committee, the Colorado energy office, and the state treasurer detailing the deployment of the program.

AI Summary

This bill establishes and expands an on-bill repayment program, administered by the Colorado Clean Energy Fund (CCEF), a nonprofit designated as Colorado's "green bank" which helps finance energy-related upgrades for utility customers. The program allows these upgrades, such as energy efficiency or electrification measures, to be financed with no upfront cost to the customer, with the costs then repaid through their regular utility bills. To fund this expansion, the state treasurer will provide a $50 million low-interest loan from the unclaimed property trust fund to the CCEF by August 15, 2026, with specific repayment terms over twenty years. The Colorado Energy Office must review the program's design by August 1, 2026, to ensure it aligns with statewide emission reduction goals. The bill also outlines requirements for program participants, including disclosures to customers about repayment obligations, how these obligations transfer with property ownership or occupancy, and the establishment of a utility loss reserve to mitigate risks. Additionally, it mandates a pathway for income-qualified customers to access the program and clarifies that existing utility shutoff protections for nonpayment will still apply, though service can be discontinued for on-bill charges that are more than ninety days past due. The CCEF is required to submit annual reports on the program's deployment and impact.

Committee Categories

Budget and Finance, Transportation and Infrastructure

Sponsors (4)

Last Action

Senate Appropriations Committee Hearing (08:00:00 5/7/2026 LSB-B) (on 05/07/2026)

bill text


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bill summary

Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-148
Fiscal Note/Analysis - Budget Staff Analysis SA1 https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115096/download
Fiscal Note First Revised Fiscal Note https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114667/download
Senate Transportation & Energy Amendment L.003 https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_amendments/19177/download
Senate Transportation & Energy Amendment L.001 https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_amendments/19178/download
Senate Transportation & Energy Amendment L.002 https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_amendments/19179/download
Fiscal Note Initial Fiscal Note https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114122/download
BillText https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/113720/download
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