Tri-State moves up closure of coal burning power plant, lines up for $970M federal grant for wind, solar generation – By Michael Booth (Colorado Sun) / Dec 2, 2023
Local utilities leaving the giant electricity producer opened the door to early retirement of Craig Station Unit 3 by start of 2028.
Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association plans to shutter the last coal-fired power generating unit in Craig two years earlier than previously planned. The move accelerates the end to one of the largest greenhouse gas polluters in Colorado and immediately won praise from environmental groups.
Tri-State, which sells electricity to local co-ops in Colorado and other Western states, also won praise Friday for becoming first in line for up to $970 million in new clean energy grants and low-cost loans from a U.S. Department of Agriculture program for rural America. Tri-State’s new long-term energy plan now calls for 1,250 megawatts of renewable generating sources and utility-scale battery storage to smooth out supplies from solar and wind generation.
Tri-State in recent years has suffered defections by co-ops who wanted to offer customers clean renewable sources of electricity sooner, and sought more control over their supply. Those member departures made an earlier closing of Craig 3 economically necessary, the company said in a description of its 2023 Electric Resource Plan that still must be approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.
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