Denver — Today, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) announced their intention to support a legislative effort to allow them to keep the coal-fired unit at the Ray Nixon Power Plant operating past the currently required closure date of 2030. In response, Conservation Colorado’s Climate Campaign Manager Paul Sherman issued the following statement:

“After years of failing to plan for replacement resources, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) wants to break its promise and remain one of Colorado’s largest polluters.

“CSU told the state and Coloradans that it could reduce its harmful pollution by 80% by 2030. And in 2020, CSU committed to closing the coal-fired Ray Nixon plant by 2030, a decision that promised cleaner air and more affordable energy. Now, CSU is the only major utility in the state trying to walk away from that commitment. Lawmakers should not reward broken promises and poor planning.

“Colorado’s air quality gets worse every year, as the “brown cloud” frequently hides our mountains and the Front Range. Coloradans want cleaner air, lower energy bills and stronger enforcement against big polluters – not a free pass for utilities.”