Comments on: Drake listed among coal plants ‘ripe for retirement’ http://csbj.com/2012/11/13/drake-listed-among-coal-plants-ripe-for-retirement/ Wed, 22 May 2013 21:47:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Dave Grossman http://csbj.com/2012/11/13/drake-listed-among-coal-plants-ripe-for-retirement/comment-page-1/#comment-73752 Dave Grossman Wed, 14 Nov 2012 15:16:21 +0000 http://csbj.com/?p=60159#comment-73752 Colorado Springs Utilities’ goal is to provide the lowest cost, most reliable utility service while meeting or surpassing all environmental regulations. The future cost to generate electricity using coal versus natural gas was thoroughly studied in the 2012 Electric Integrated Resource Plan. The cost of natural gas generation is forecast to be nearly three times higher than coal by 2030. Even with the cost of current and expected emissions control requirements for coal plants included, electric generation from coal is expected to be less expensive than from natural gas.

Other utilities in Colorado also see the value in retaining coal as part of their energy mix. For example, Xcel Colorado expects their fuel mix to be 47% coal, 29% natural gas, and 24% renewable after their “Clean Air-Clean Jobs” initiative is complete in 2018.

Colorado Springs Utilities’ fuel capacity mix by comparison is 43% coal, 54% natural gas, and 3% hydro. Springs Utilities continues to pursue our Energy Vision which contains a goal of 20% renewables by 2020.

Dave Grossman
Colorado Springs Utilities

]]> By: Deborah Muehleisen http://csbj.com/2012/11/13/drake-listed-among-coal-plants-ripe-for-retirement/comment-page-1/#comment-73730 Deborah Muehleisen Wed, 14 Nov 2012 02:53:14 +0000 http://csbj.com/?p=60159#comment-73730 I’m concerned about our air quality and love that we’re having the conversation about how we might revitalize our downtown core as much as anyone, but really, were any non-coal-fired plants left off of this list or are all coal-fired plants in our country “ripe for retirement’?

]]>