Posted inBusiness, Climate, Economy, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government

Closing all of Xcel’s coal-fired power plants will cost Colorado consumers $1.4 billion

The price tag for Xcel Energy closing all its Colorado coal-fired plants will be $1.4 billion spread over decades — a sum that will be paid exclusively by the utility’s residential and commercial customers. The closure estimates and their financing are part of the $8 billion electric resource and clean energy plan submitted last month […]

Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, News

Xcel plans to double its renewable energy generation by 2030. It’ll cost consumers $8 billion to do it.

Xcel Energy will spend $8 billion to double its renewable energy generation and storage and add new transmission lines, while closing all of its coal-fired power plants in Colorado by 2040. The initiative, unveiled Wednesday, would reduce Xcel’s carbon emissions in Colorado 85% from 2005 levels by 2030. A state law requires regulated utilities to […]

Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, News

Wind power cut Xcel Energy’s carbon emissions last year. But is the utility moving fast enough to meet goals?

Xcel Energy cut its carbon emissions by 5% in 2020 compared with 2019, in large part due to the addition of new wind generation, according to the company, Colorado’s largest electricity provider. Carbon emissions declined a record 12% in Xcel’s companywide service area, which includes Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas and New […]

Posted inBusiness, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government

Tri-State increases the amount of greenhouse gases it will cut in Colorado by adding wind and solar generation

Colorado’s second biggest electricity provider – Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association – upped its goal for reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to an 80% cut by 2030 – putting itself in line with other utilities in the state. Tri-State’s original 70% target for cutting carbon dioxide emissions had lagged other Colorado utilities, such as Xcel […]

Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, News

Colorado regulators probe why the coal-fired Comanche 3 power plant has been out of service for months

The Colorado Public Utilities Commission on Wednesday launched an investigation into Xcel Energy’s problem-plagued Comanche 3 coal-fired power plant, which has had chronic breakdowns requiring millions of dollars in repairs. The $1.3 billion plant near Pueblo has been out of service since mid-January. It was idled between January and June for repairs, Xcel said. When […]