Pitkin County’s utility map
Territory shares by land area (Colorado Energy Office map): Xcel Energy (Public Service Company of Colorado), about 62%; Holy Cross Energy, about 32%; Gunnison County Electric Association, about 6%; City of Aspen Electric Utility, about 0%. The county seat, Aspen, maps to City of Aspen Electric Utility.
The largest by area, Xcel Energy (Public Service Company of Colorado), is an investor-owned utility that banks exported solar as kWh credits that offset later use one-for-one.
Pitkin County by the numbers
Pitkin County declined about 4.2% between 2020 and 2025 (17,362 → 16,625). It has 3 communities on our map, the largest being Aspen, Basalt, Snowmass Village.
The county is fairly uniform in elevation — Aspen near 7,930 feet and the geographic center around 8,160 feet — so conditions are relatively consistent across it.
It’s part of our Central Mountains region. The county center is about 108 miles from our Denver office.
Permitting across Pitkin County
We pull permits wherever your address falls in Pitkin County — town building departments inside municipal limits, the county elsewhere, and the State Electrical Board for electrical permits where it has authority.
Commercial solar in Pitkin County
Pitkin County businesses are split between Xcel Energy (Public Service Company of Colorado) and Holy Cross Energy — an investor-owned utility and a electric cooperative — with different commercial net-metering terms, so two shops a few miles apart can have different paybacks.
What we see on commercial sites in this part of the state: mountain-county commercial property means lodging, restaurants, ski-area support buildings, workforce housing and small main-street retail — buildings with expensive winter power, big snow loads and roofs that often carry heated-driveway and snowmelt loads. Resort-town design review adds a step to most projects. As of September 2026, business owners can still use the federal §48E credit for solar placed in service by the end of 2027, with 100% bonus depreciation restored — details are on our Pitkin County commercial page and worth a conversation with your tax advisor.
FAQ
Questions we hear
Which electric utilities serve Pitkin County?
By area, the state map shows Xcel Energy (Public Service Company of Colorado), Holy Cross Energy, Gunnison County Electric Association, City of Aspen Electric Utility. The county seat, Aspen, maps to City of Aspen Electric Utility. Your bill is the final word.
Do you install solar in Pitkin County?
Yes — our own Colorado crews install throughout Pitkin County, including permits and utility interconnection.
How high is Aspen, and does it matter for solar?
Aspen sits at about 7,930 feet. Cooler, clearer air helps panel efficiency, but roof orientation and shading matter far more; we model both per address.