Coal may be on its way out in Colorado’s power picture, but it’s definitely still here. About a third of Colorado’s electricity is still generated by 10 coal-fired power units around the state. That should drop to zero by the end of 2031 when Xcel’s Comanche 3 plant closes, but it’s still seven years away.
We thought it would be easiest for Coloradans to picture the near future in one graphic, showing each big unit of coal power, from far northwestern Craig down to Comanche, near Pueblo, and when they will be done.
These dates have changed before, and could change again — for the better. As the price of renewable replacements continues to decline, and tighter regulations discourage coal’s pollution, these power plant operators could move up their closures. If so, we’ll put out an update.
Where Colorado’s remaining coal-fired power plants are located
Index of Colorado’s coal-fired plants
| Power Plant | Owner | Location | MW | Scheduled to close |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comanche 1 | Xcel Energy | Pueblo | 325 | 2022 |
| Martin Drake | Colorado Springs Utilities | Colorado Springs | 207 | 2022 |
| Pawnee Station* | Xcel Energy | Brush | 505 | 2025 |
| Craig Unit 1 | Co-owned by PacifiCorp, Platte River Power Authority, Salt River Project, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association and Xcel Energy | Craig | 427 | 2025 |
| Comanche 2 | Xcel | Pueblo | 335 | 2025 |
| Hayden Unit 2 | Xcel Energy, Salt River Electric Cooperative and PacifiCorp | Hayden | 135 | 2027 |
| Hayden Unit 1 | Xcel, Salt River and PacifiCorp | Hayden | 98 | 2028 |
| Craig Unit 2 | PacifiCorp, Platte River Power Authority, Salt River Project, Tri-State Generation and Xcel | Craig | 410 | 2028 |
| Craig Unit 3 | Tri-State | Craig | 448 | 2028 |
| Rawhide | Platte River Power Authority | Wellington | 280 | 2030 |
| Ray Nixon | Colorado Springs Utilities | Colorado Springs | 207 | 2030 |
| Comanche 3 | Xcel Energy | Pueblo | 750 | 2031 |