Activists Are Pricing Coloradans Out Of Heating Their Homes

Colorado’s utility regulators recently accelerated the state’s war on natural gas with a new emissions target, a move that prioritizes aggressive emissions reductions but risks higher energy bills and reduced affordability for working-class residents.

In 2021, the Democratic-led legislature passed Senate Bill 21-264, the “Clean Heat Plan” law, signed by Gov. Jared Polis. It initially required gas utilities to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 22 percent by 2030 (from a 2015 baseline). In a decision issued last week, the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) set a new interim target of 41 percent reductions by 2035, while affirming the state’s path toward 100 percent decarbonization by 2050. While this decision has pleased environmental groups — some of whom seek even more aggressive targets (i.e. a 55 percent reductions in natural gas-related emissions by 2035) — the impact on families and businesses cannot be overlooked.

Nearly 70 percent of Colorado households rely on natural gas for heating, and it remains far cheaper than electricity on a per-unit-of-energy basis — roughly four times less expensive, according to Jake Fodgleman, policy director at the Denver-based Independence Institute. The PUC’s new mandate will likely force many families and businesses to switch to more expensive electric appliance and heating systems, even as living costs rise statewide.

Xcel Energy, serving 1.6 million electric customers in Colorado, estimates that converting a home to all-electric heating can cost more than $20,000 before incentives. Electricity bills are also poised to climb. In November 2025, Xcel sought approval for a roughly 9-10 percent base rate increase, totaling about $356 million, partly to fund infrastructure for green energy mandates and growing demand. Other utility companies in the region also announced similar price hikes.

Projections from the Colorado-based Common Sense Institute indicate electricity rates could rise 56 percent by 2030, adding $390–$504 annually to the average household’s bill (totaling $970 million–$1.25 billion statewide). Businesses could face $16.3–$23.5 billion in extra costs yearly, potentially leading to 25,000 job losses, a $1,400 drop in real disposable income per family, and a $2.6 billion GDP slowdown.

Europe’s Cautionary Tale

Unfortunately, Colorado Democrats and their environmentalist allies seem to prioritize their climate-catastrophe agenda over key issues such as affordability and economic impact. They continue to push this agenda despite growing evidence that challenges their climate-related assumptions and promises.

For years, we were told that climate change is an existential threat, and that decarbonization — transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy like solar and wind — is the only solution. We were also promised that this shift would spur sustainable economic growth and result in more affordable alternative energy for households and businesses.

However, Europe’s experiences offer a cautionary tale. The continent has wholeheartedly committed to the decarbonization movement over the past two decades, implementing bans on oil and gas drilling, retiring coal and nuclear power plants, and shifting towards renewable energy sources. What citizens got in return are sky-high electricity prices that have led to a significant increase in the cost of living and a decline in quality of life. For instance, nearly half of British consumers reportedly are preparing to ration their energy usage this winter due to wholesale electricity costs that are 80 percent higher than in the U.S.

Similarly, European heavy industries face electricity costs that are double those in the U.S. and 50 percent more than in China. A 2024 European Union study, led by former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, warns of an impending “existential” economic crisis, identifying record energy costs as a major hurdle to economic growth.

In addition to soaring electricity prices, rapid transition to renewable energy has also caused grid instability. On April 28, a massive blackout struck Spain, Portugal, and parts of France merely six days after Spain touted its national grid being powered 100 percent by renewable energy, underscoring that renewables alone do not guarantee reliability without sufficient baseload power or storage.

The green movement’s broken promises and the economic difficulties it has caused have fueled the rise of right-wing populism across Europe, from Germany to France. In a striking turn, Germany, once a leader in decarbonization, in April announced its plans to build new gas-powered plants.

Bill Gates Becomes Skeptical

Skepticism about climate alarmism is growing, and one of the most notable examples is Bill Gates. Gates had poured billions in climate efforts for the past two decades, and even warned in his 2021 book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, that by mid-century, “climate change could be just as deadly as COVID-19, and by 2100 it could be five times as deadly,” emphasizing the urgent need for climate actions.

Yet, Gates shifted tone in an October 2025 essay. He admitted that climate change “will not lead to humanity’s demise” and criticized doomsday narratives for diverting resources from pressing issues such as poverty. Gates noted trillions spent by the West have yielded limited results. As reported by The New York Times, “global fossil fuel emissions are on track to soar to record highs in 2025,” mainly due to China’s ongoing construction of coal plants.

Although Gates’ essay lacks introspection, his rejection of the climate catastrophe narrative is welcomed by many. It has created a significant fissure in the climate change movement, inspiring individuals to challenge conformity and critically assess its assumptions and alarmist forecasts.

A high-profile 2024 Nature study projecting a 62 percent global economic decline by 2100 from high emissions was retracted last week, after researchers found flaws in the analysis: erroneous five-year data from one small country, Uzbekistan, inflated the global economic damages from 23 percent to 62 percent. This incident serves as a reminder to scrutinize the narratives surrounding climate change rather than accept them at face value.

Despite irrefutable evidence, Colorado’s latest PUC mandate reveals that climate activists continue to mislead the public and push policies based on a thoroughly debunked doomsday narrative. This threatens the state’s financial stability and energy affordability. Colorado’s Republican leaders have rightly condemned the PUC for prioritizing the agendas of environmental organizations over the needs of hardworking citizens. It’s crucial for Coloradans who are concerned about rising costs to vote in a way that demands policies focused on reliable and affordable energy sources. Without course corrections, the state risks following California’s troubling path, where unaffordability has forced many residents to pack up and leave.