After months of negotiations, Gov. Jared Polis and state lawmakers appear ready to allow Colorado Springs to retire its last coal plant by the end of 2032, three years later than currently required under state law.
The deal is detailed in legislation introduced at the state capital on Tuesday. It replaces a previous bill backed by a bipartisan group of Pikes Peak-area lawmakers that would have allowed Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) to continue operating a coal-fired unit at its Ray Nixon Power Plant until 2040.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Travas Deal, CSU’s CEO, said the bill represents months of negotiations between the city-owned utility, the governor’s office, the Colorado Sierra Club and other environmental groups. The result is a compromise that will help the city meet “the state’s emissions reduction goals without compromising reliability and affordability,” Deal said…