Introduction to the Colorado Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate (UCA)

The mission of the Colorado Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate (“UCA”) is to represent the public interest and, in particular, the interests of residential, small business, and agricultural energy consumers. The UCA will accomplish this mission by developing, advocating, and implementing innovative, pro-consumer policies and practices through consumer outreach and regulatory mechanisms. 

The Office of the Utility Consumer Advocate serves the public interest through advocacy in the following areas:

• Advocate for reasonably and affordably priced quality utility service.

• Achieve savings for utility consumers through participation in regulatory proceedings and through settlements with utility companies that result in rate reductions, refunds, or reductions in proposed rate increases.

• Ensure that utility laws, regulations, and policies are equitable for residential, small business, and agricultural consumers.

• Serve as a technical resource for utility consumers, legislators, small business, utilities, and other government agencies.

• Ensure quality utility service for consumers that, at a minimum, meets standards established through Commission rules.

Consumer Savings

• Over the last 30 years, the UCA has saved consumers about $1.7 billion.

• Over the last five fiscal years, the annual consumer savings have averaged about $113 million.

• The cost/benefit ratio of the UCA is more than 63 to 1, so that for every dollar the UCA spends, it returns more than $63 to consumers in savings.