Hayden Generating Station units 1 and 2 will be closed without layoffs of 75 people who work there, utility giant says as it moves toward 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050.

Colorado’s Air Quality Control Commission said issues around closing plants a year early were too complex

The state’s second largest electric provider plans to spend $21 billion to add renewable sources and battery storage. Natural gas is in the mix.

Tri-State, Xcel and Platte River Power had the closures slated for 2030. But Colorado air quality regulators say it must be done earlier to meet greenhouse gas targets.

Colorado's second largest electricity provider is now on par with other utilities for carbon dioxide reduction, but it will need to stop buying coal-fired power from elsewhere to do it

Northwest Colorado is grieving the looming loss of a major industry and the pandemic has hurt. But the broader economy is beginning to perk up. "We are not victims," Craig chamber boss says.

Xcel is the only utility in Colorado with large, coal-fired power plants set to operate past 2030.

Shut down of Rawhide Unit 1 leaves only a few big coal burning plants in Colorado without retirement dates as utilities feel pressure from customers, government to meet climate goals

Large electricity generators use lots of water to cool their coal-fired plants. As those units shut down, expect to see battles heat up over how the massive amounts of water can be repurposed.

The utility PacifiCorp hopes to retire its Colorado properties, though co-ownership with power-providers Xcel and Tri-State complicates the process

Miami’s Guzman Energy already helped a New Mexico co-op leave Tri-State and says switching to renewable energy will cost less

House Bill 1037 would let electric companies recoup money spent to build the plants while funding economic impact grants to towns losing jobs along the way