Noah Rott, Sierra Club, noah.rott@sierraclub.org, 406-214-1990
Denver, CO - Today a group of lawmakers sent a letter to Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) leadership, urging the utility to comply with 2023's Clean Energy Plans law as it considers building a controversial new gas power plant.
Senate Bill 23-198, signed by Gov. Polis specifically requires PRPA, which provides power to Longmont, Estes Park, Loveland and Fort Collins, to analyze in its 2024 electric integrated resource plan (IRP) at least one option to reduce greenhouse gas emissions 46 percent by 2027 from a 2005 baseline.
"Representatives from stakeholders who worked on Clean Energy Plans legislation have attended public meetings regarding PRPA’s 2024 IRP, and reviewed the written materials PRPA has made available," the letter reads. "They have not seen any documents explaining the level of greenhouse gas emission reductions that would be achieved by 2027 for each of the portfolios PRPA has presented."
The law says Colorado utilities must file a Clean Energy Plan to either achieve this level of reductions by 2027 or at least consider achieving that level of emissions reductions. Today, PRPA is on track to make the least amount of progress in reducing emissions prior to 2029 compared to other utilities.
"PRPA set out to be one of the state's most ambitious pursuers of clean energy but now it feels like those were empty promises," said Noah Rott, spokesperson for Colorado Sierra Club. "An overcommitment to coal this decade and now potentially methane gas moving forward could end up being a big financial risk for PRPA communities while failing to meet climate goals that so many organized for years to win."
In 2018, after years of advocacy by customers, PRPA committed to 100 percent carbon-neutral energy by 2030. But this fall the utility board made an initial approval for a new $240 million, 200-megawatt gas power plant to help replace the capacity of the Rawhide coal unit in northern Colorado anticipated to shut down in 2029. The plan moved quickly and received pushback at public meetings in all four communities.
“Despite adopting the goal of achieving 100% carbon-free electricity by 2030, PRPA is currently in last place compared to its peers in reducing its greenhouse gas emissions," said Kevin Cross of Fort Collins Sustainability Group. "Even worse, PRPA’s next electric resource plan suggests that it’s not planning to meet the minimum goal for GHG emissions reductions established by Colorado lawmakers earlier this year. We need to demand that PRPA do better.”
The proposed gas plant, according to utility officials, could utilize hydrogen or renewable natural gas in the future to meet emissions requirements. Deemed "false solutions" by the environmental community, these fuels are extremely expensive and carbon-intensive compared to other storage alternatives.
A timeline for PRPA's IRP process can be found on its website.
About the Sierra Club
The Sierra Club is America’s largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization, with millions of members and supporters. In addition to protecting every person's right to get outdoors and access the healing power of nature, the Sierra Club works to promote clean energy, safeguard the health of our communities, protect wildlife, and preserve our remaining wild places through grassroots activism, public education, lobbying, and legal action. For more information, visit www.sierraclub.org.