From July 2025 through June 2026, Colorado’s electricity consumption was split almost evenly between fossil sources and low-carbon sources, each supplying about 45%, while net imports accounted for roughly 11%. Gas supplied almost 30% and coal about 15%. Among clean sources, wind led with around 27%, followed by solar at nearly 14% and hydropower at about 3%. Solar’s contribution included roughly 10% from utility-scale installations and 4% from behind-the-meter systems, such as rooftop panels. The data do not identify the electricity sources behind net imports, so these should remain separate from the fossil and low-carbon groups.

Is Electricity Growing in Colorado?

Electricity consumption per person is growing in Colorado, although only slightly: the latest 2026 figure reached about 10,762 kWh per person, edging above the 2025 record of 10,731 kWh by roughly 30 kWh, or 0.3%. Clean electricity generation made a much stronger advance, reaching about 4,786 kWh per person—292 kWh above its previous record in 2025, an increase of roughly 6.5%. That clean electricity growth is encouraging, while the near-flat overall consumption figure highlights the importance of preparing for additional electricity demand from electrification and AI.

Suggestions

Colorado can build on its substantial wind and solar generation by expanding both, alongside transmission and electricity storage, while considering new nuclear generation to broaden its clean electricity supply. Nearby examples offer useful benchmarks: wind supplies almost half of electricity generation in the US state of Kansas and more than half in the US state of South Dakota. For solar, Colorado can learn from the US state of Nevada, where it supplies about 35% of generation, and the US state of California, where it supplies almost a third. Nuclear also deserves a place in Colorado’s plans: it supplies a quarter of electricity generation in the US state of Arizona and almost half in the US state of Illinois. These regions illustrate how wind, solar and nuclear can support a larger low-carbon electricity supply while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and their associated climate and air-pollution impacts.

History

Across 2024–2026, wind drove the largest changes in Colorado’s low-carbon electricity generation. It grew by 1.5 TWh in 2024, suffered a disappointing 0.5 TWh decline in 2025, and returned to growth with a 0.6 TWh increase in 2026. Taken together, those annual changes represent a net gain of 1.6 TWh. Hydropower grew steadily, adding 0.1 TWh in 2024 and 0.2 TWh in each of the following two years, for a combined increase of 0.5 TWh. Biofuel generation was unchanged throughout the three years. Wind’s return to growth and hydropower’s steady gains are welcome progress toward a larger clean electricity supply.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

* 12M = Last 12 months (Jul 2025 – Jun 2026) — a rolling 12-month period, not a calendar year.