Author: Scott Weiser
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Xcel Energy prepares for power shutoffs due to high winds
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Forecast high winds along the Front Range on Wednesday revive memories of the devastating 2021 Marshall fire that destroyed more than 1,000 homes when gusts downed energized power lines. Xcel Energy now weighs proactive power cuts to avoid similar ignitions amid dangerously dry conditions. The Marshall fire erupted under comparable wind events with gusts exceeding…
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Colowyo coal mine near Craig lays off 133 workers as mine closes
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Neil McCandless sat in a Craig coffee shop, reminiscing on his 94 years in a town that has gone from sheep ranching to coal mining to power production but which is now moving toward an uncertain future. Coal mining is ending in Craig, and the closure of power plants is in sight. And the latest…
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Colorado rolls out plan to supercharge clean-energy jobs boom
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A new state analysis released Tuesday warns that Colorado will face significant shortages of skilled trades workers, threatening the state’s ability to meet Gov. Jared Polis’ greenhouse gas reduction goals unless it dramatically ramps up training. The report shows gaps in the trades, such as electricians, wind turbine technicians, EV automotive technicians and HVAC technicians,…
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Can Colorado reinvent its uranium legacy?
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Uranium mining in Colorado has a bright future. George Glasier believes that. From his cattle ranch near Nucla, Colo., where sagebrush valleys give way to rugged canyons, Glasier leads a company working to restart old uranium mines and build a new ore processing plant. This push comes at a pivotal time for an industry that’s…
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Colorado, Xcel, petition to delay Comanche coal-fired generating unit shutdown
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Colorado’s largest utility company has petitioned energy regulators to push back the retirement of a coal-fired, electrical generating unit located in the Southern part of the state from December 2025 to the end of 2026. The Polis administration is backing the petition. Comanche Unit 2 is one of three coal-fired units at the Pueblo-based Comanche…
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Surging motorcycle deaths in Colorado bring tragedy and tears
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Chelsie Willing died on April 17, 2025, 10 days before her 21st birthday, when a car pulled out in front of her as she was riding her Yamaha R7 motorcycle on Platte Avenue in Colorado Springs. Motorcycling had been her passion, and she was happiest when she was riding, said her aunt, Windy McKay. The…
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Colorado’s motorcycle lane filtering law — boon or bane?
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Colorado’s lane-filtering law for motorcyclists has been in effect for more than a year, but it’s still too soon to know if it has helped prevent motorcycle crashes and injuries, as the law was intended to do. The new law allows motorcyclists to pass stopped vehicles while going 15 mph or less, if the lane…
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Colorado soars in 3rd quarter EV sales
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Coloradans are electrified by the state’s incentives to buy an EV despite the end of federal subsidies Sept. 30, driving Colorado into first-place in the nation for EV sales as a percentage of all motor vehicle sales. From July 1 to Sept. 30 Colorado buyers comprised 32.4% of new vehicle sales, the highest single-quarter percentage…
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Colorado’s energy crunch: Can renewables keep pace with data center demands? | ANALYSIS
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Colorado faces mounting pressure on its electrical grid as data centers and advanced manufacturing drive up power needs, even as the state moves away from coal and natural gas, in favor of wind and solar energies, and battery systems. At the same time, Colorado is competing with surrounding states to attract data centers and technology…
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Colorado’s 2040 ‘renewable’ energy goal faces cost challenges
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A new state report outlined how Colorado plans to reach 100% “renewable” electricity by 2040, a goal that supporters argued is crucial to achieving “net zero” carbon in a few decades but which critics countered is happening too quickly at a significant cost to consumers. The report examined a buildout of wind, solar, batteries and…
