Under the Regional Haze provision of the federal Clean Air Act, states must submit a plan to reduce haze to the Environmental Protection Agency. This rule — aimed at limiting air pollution in national parks and wilderness areas — requires that Colorado submit its plans to the EPA by July 2021 and reduce pollution by […]
Rawhide Energy Station
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government
Order to close three Colorado coal-fired power plants early reversed, regulators cite “incomplete” information
The Colorado Air Quality Control Commission, at the urging of utility companies, did a regulatory two-step on Wednesday, rescinding the order for early closure of three coal-fired power plants that it issued last month. The November decision, made as part of the state’s plan to reduce regional haze at national parks, was based on incomplete […]
Posted inBusiness, Climate, Energy, Environment, Health, News, Politics and Government
Three coal-burning power plants in Colorado face orders to close early. Their owners aren’t happy about it.
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 air quality regulators on Friday moved to order three coal-fired power plants to close by the end of 2028 to cut regional haze and meet Colorado […]
Posted inBusiness, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government
We now know how many billions of gallons of water Colorado will save by closing coal-fired power plants
The closing of 30 coal-fired generating units across the West – including 10 in Colorado – could free-up more than 76 billion gallons of river and groundwater a year in the increasingly parched region, although utilities appear cautious about giving up their water rights. An analysis by the Energy and Policy Institute, a non-profit, utility […]
Posted inBusiness, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government
Colorado Springs will shut down its two coal-fired plants by 2030. Now it’s time for Xcel to do the same, environmentalists say.
The Colorado Spring Utilities board on Friday voted to close one of its coal-fired plants in 2023 and the other in 2030 – leaving Xcel Energy, the state’s biggest electricity provider, with the few remaining large coal-fired plants in the state slated to run beyond 2030. Martin Drake Power Plant, in downtown Colorado Springs, will […]
Posted inBusiness, Energy, Environment, News
Chemical contamination from 7 Colorado coal-fired power plants found during groundwater monitoring
When Platte River Power Authority checked the groundwater near its Rawhide power plant for coal-ash contamination last year, it found some. Levels of selenium, which can cause human hair loss and deformities in fish and wildlife, were higher than deemed safe by federal groundwater protection standards. The authority, which released the Rawhide report in January, […]
Posted inBusiness, Energy, Environment, News, Politics and Government
Colorado power companies bet big on net-zero emissions as state debates 100% renewable energy future
Xcel Energy and Platte River Power Authority, two of Colorado’s biggest utilities, left themselves some wiggle room when they pledged to remove greenhouse gases from their emissions. While there is a big push in Colorado to run on 100 percent renewable energy — it’s Gov. Jared Polis’ goal to do it by 2040 — the […]