One chapter ended and another earlier this month in Colorado’s book-length transition from coal combustion to renewable generation of electricity. Both involved Platte River Power Authority, which delivers electricity to four municipalities along the northern Front Range.
On Wednesday, Platte River celebrated completion of a major solar project east of Fort Collins within the municipal limits of Severance. Called Black Hollow Sun, the 257-megawatt project will provide electricity for Longmont, Estes Park, Loveland and Fort Collins. Planned since roughly 2019, it is part of a surge in utility-scale solar projects coming online during the next few years.
About 250 miles to the west, the last coal was scooped from the open-pit Trapper Mine adjacent to the Craig Generating Station on Sept. 25 after 49 years of operation. This milestone is being celebrated this Friday. All three of the adjoining three units are to be closed before 2029. Coal has been stockpiled from Trapper and Colowyo, another coal mine near Craig that closed last year. Tri-State Generation and Transmission, the operator, is evaluating its options if more is needed. Platte River has a minority interest in Trapper…