We are a liberal Democrat and a conservative unaffiliated who votes Republican. We often find ourselves on opposite ends of the political spectrum. However, we stand in firm agreement on one crucial issue: Colorado must thoughtfully and intelligently determine the best path forward for its energy future — one that delivers abundant, affordable, reliable and clean power for all Coloradans.

We are deeply concerned Colorado is on a trajectory that risks duplicating Germany’s costly mistakes, which have led to high energy prices, unreliable power and widespread industrial relocation — resulting in devastating job losses.

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Our elected representatives in the Colorado legislature bear the responsibility of carefully evaluating these issues and charting Colorado’s energy future. Without legislative leadership, these critical decisions will be left to unelected officials in the Colorado Energy Office (chief executive), the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), and a small group of hand-selected special interests.

In light of:

• Rising load projections,
• The inclusion of nuclear power as a viable clean energy option, and
• Reports of a complex, late-session bill aimed at dramatically accelerating Colorado’s energy transition guided by the unelected chief executive & PUC,

We urge the legislature to take a more measured approach. Rather than rushing through transformative legislation at the end of the session, we propose the establishment of an Interim Energy Committee tasked with conducting a comprehensive, transparent and bipartisan review of Colorado’s energy future.

We firmly believe this committee should recognize the importance of Colorado’s diverse energy portfolio and the critical role of coal communities in ensuring a just transition. To support this endeavor and reduce costs, we would be honored to serve on the committee’s staff at no cost to taxpayers.

The Energy Interim Committee must examine the entire energy landscape and avoid hasty decisions. Some of the key questions that require thoughtful consideration include:

• Should nuclear, wind and/or solar be relied upon for base-load power?
• What is the optimal mix to meet peak demand?
• Should Colorado depend on neighboring states to meet its load?
• How much electrification can be anticipated, and what is its effect on Colorado’s energy needs?
• Should Colorado incentivize data centers despite their high energy consumption?
• What will these choices cost Colorado ratepayers?

The path forward requires an open, transparent dialogue where Coloradans can tune in and weigh in on decisions that will shape our state’s energy future. Rushing through complex legislation without engaging the public undermines trust and risks unintended consequences that could burden future generations.

The world is changing rapidly. For the past 100 years, it has run on oil and steel. Now, it runs on chips and electricity. Our state’s energy plan not only will determine whether we face skyrocketing electricity costs and rolling blackouts — it also will shape whether Colorado can embrace the future and seize the opportunities that come with it.

Will Colorado lead with innovation and resilience, or will we follow a pastoral, low-growth approach while the rest of the world moves ahead? The choice is ours — but it must be made with care, foresight, and input from all stakeholders.

We call on the Colorado legislature to pause, listen and lead with purpose.

Amy Oliver Cooke is the founder, president and board chair of Always On Energy Research, an energy analytics and modeling nonprofit organization; the energy fellow for the State Policy Network, and works on energy and environmental policy for the Colorado-based Independence Institute. Cooke also co-hosts the energy policy podcast Power Gab.

David Thielen was the founder and chief executive of Windward Studios, a successful software company in Boulder, and has worked at multiple software start-ups as well as on the Windows team at Microsoft. He has degrees in physics and mathematics from the University of Colorado. He is now retired, writes software for the Democratic Party and blogs on energy and politics.