Utilities serving Bent County
Territory shares by land area (Colorado Energy Office map): Southeast Colorado Power Association, about 90%; Black Hills Energy (Colorado Electric), about 10%; City of Las Animas (municipal electric), about 0%. The county seat, Las Animas, maps to City of Las Animas (municipal electric).
The largest by area, Southeast Colorado Power Association, is a electric cooperative that banks exported solar as kWh credits that offset later use one-for-one.
Bent County by the numbers
Bent County grew about 1.3% between 2020 and 2025 (5,643 → 5,716). It has 1 incorporated community: Las Animas.
The county is fairly uniform in elevation — Las Animas near 3,900 feet and the geographic center around 4,080 feet — so conditions are relatively consistent across it.
It’s part of our Eastern Plains region. The county center is about 162 miles from our Denver office.
Who issues solar permits in Bent County
We pull permits wherever your address falls in Bent County — town building departments inside municipal limits, the county elsewhere, and the State Electrical Board for electrical permits where it has authority.
FAQ
Questions we hear
Which electric utilities serve Bent County?
By area, the state map shows Southeast Colorado Power Association, Black Hills Energy (Colorado Electric), City of Las Animas (municipal electric). The county seat, Las Animas, maps to City of Las Animas (municipal electric). Your bill is the final word.
Do you install solar in Bent County?
Yes — our own Colorado crews install throughout Bent County, including permits and utility interconnection.
How high is Las Animas, and does it matter for solar?
Las Animas sits at about 3,900 feet. Cooler, clearer air helps panel efficiency, but roof orientation and shading matter far more; we model both per address.