Smart Home: Meet our new CEO, Aram Benyamin

October 2018

We are partnering with the Cool Science Festival to offer a public tour of the Manitou Springs Hydroelectric plant on October 16 from 6- 7:30 p.m. Click here to register and for more information.

Meet our new CEO: Aram Benyamin

Greetings, I'm Aram Benyamin , the new CEO of Colorado Springs Utilities. It's an honor to lead your community utility . With your input -- and guided by our organizational values -- I developed four core initiatives for our utility:

Deliver quality. Uphold a culture of safety and service reliability.
Commit to community. Contribute to the growth, vitality and quality of life in the Pikes Peak Region.
Execute organizational excellence. Courageously lead a talented workforce that embraces continuous improvement.
Focus on the customer. Serve by listening to customers, anticipating and exceeding their expectations.

This includes instilling a culture of public service and adopting customer-centric processes. Through collaboration and hard work, we will successfully achieve these goals to better serve you and build a strong, thriving community.

In service,
Aram

Creating tomorrow's energy landscape

Recently, the Utilities Board approved the addition of 150 megawatts of new solar generation plus battery storage to our system. The project will bring our renewable energy mix to more than 20 percent by 2024.

This project, coupled with the two additional solar projects that total 95 megawatts, will be enough to power 75,000 homes annually with carbon-free energy.

In addition to safe and reliable service, we understand customers want to know we are preserving the Pikes Peak region. That's why projects like this play an integral part in our environmental stewardship.

Don't be haunted by phantom loads

Something is lurking in your home, draining the energy out of your electronics and appliances. It's called phantom load and it's the energy used by items like your DVD player and computer monitor, even when they are turned off or in standby mode. Ward off wasted energy with these tips:

Use a power strip to easily unplug appliances and electronics when turned off.
Turn off your computer monitor and printer.
Consider Energy Star® certified appliances. They use 10 to 50 percent less energy than traditional appliances and may qualify for one of our money-saving rebates.

Carbon monoxide safety tips

Carbon monoxide (CO) causes thousands of poisoning deaths each year in North America. It is a colorless and odorless gas produced from combustion fumes. Follow these safety tips:

Install a CO alarm on each floor of your home.
Have a qualified contractor inspect your heating system annually for safe, efficient operation.
If you suspect CO, leave the premises immediately and call 911, then call us at 448-4800.

CO sources include heaters, fireplaces and portable generators. Symptoms of CO poisoning are often flu-like. Learn more at csu.org.