List of power stations in Colorado
This is a list of electricity-generating power stations in the U.S. state of Colorado, sorted by type and name. In 2019, Colorado had a total summer capacity of 16,592 MW through all of its power plants, and a net generation of 56,338 GWh.[2] The corresponding electrical energy generation mix was 44.9% coal, 30.3% natural gas, 19.3% wind, 2.9% hydroelectric (including pumped storage), and 2.2% solar. Waste-heat recovery and biomass contributed the remaining 0.4% percent. Pumped storage facilities consumed a net 192 GWh and reduced the share of reported hydroelectric generation.[1]
Small-scale solar, including customer-owned photovoltaic panels, delivered an additional net 633 GWh to Colorado's electricity grid in 2019. This compares as about one-half the amount generated by the state's utility-scale photovoltaic plants.[1] In 2004, Colorado became the first state with a voter-approved renewable portfolio standard (RPS). The RPS requires 30% of electricity sold by investor-owned utilities to come from renewable energy sources by 2020, with 3% from distributed generation.[3]
Wind turbines on Colorado's high eastern plains are productive year-round and continued to proliferate in 2019. Coal has been undergoing replacement with natural gas and renewables in the state's electricity portfolio. Half of the coal mined in Colorado was exported in 2019, and extraction of the states's oil and gas reserves increased to record-high levels.[3]
Nuclear power stations
The Fort St. Vrain Nuclear Power Plant generated 330 MW of electricity during years 1976-1989.[4] Decommissioning and removal of the nuclear components was completed in 1992.[5] The first natural gas combustion turbine was installed in 1995. Colorado had no utility-scale plants that used fissile material as a fuel in 2019.[1]
Fossil-fuel power stations
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.[6]
Coal-fired
Name | Location | Coordinates | Capacity (MW) | Year Completed | Scheduled Retirement | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Comanche Generating Station | Pueblo County | 38°12′29″N 104°34′29″W | 1,410 | 1973 - Unit 1 1975 - Unit 2 2010 - Unit 3 | 2022 - Unit 1 2025 - Unit 2 2070 - Unit 3 |
[7][8] |
Craig Generating Station | Moffat County | 40°27′46″N 107°35′28″W | 1,283 | 1981 - Unit 1 1979 - Unit 2 1984 - Unit 3 | 2030 - Unit 1 2028 - Unit 2 2030 - Unit 3 |
[9][10][11][12] |
Pawnee Generating Station | Morgan County | 40°13′18″N 103°40′49″W | 505 | 1981 | 2041 | [13][14][15] |
Hayden Generating Station | Routt County | 40°29′08″N 107°11′06″W | 441 | 1965 - Unit 1 1976 - Unit 2 | 2028 - Unit 1 2027 - Unit 2 |
[16][17][18] |
Rawhide Energy Station | Larimer County | 40°51′39″N 105°01′16″W | 280 | 1984 | 2030 | [19][20] [21] |
Ray D Nixon Power Plant | El Paso County | 38°38′00″N 104°42′21″W | 208 | 1980 | 2030 | [22][23][24] |
Martin Drake Power Plant | El Paso County | 38°49′28″N 104°50′00″W | 185 | 1968 - Unit 6 1974 - Unit 7 | 2023 - Unit 6 2023 - Unit 7 |
[25][26][24] |
Nucla Station | Montrose County | 38°14′18″N 108°30′28″W | 100 | 1959 - Units 1-3 1991 - Unit 4 | 2019 - CLOSED | [27][28] |
Lamar Station | Prowers County | 38°02′00″N 102°32′16″W | 52 | 2008 | 2011 - CLOSED | [29][30] |
Natural gas-fired
Name | Location | Coordinates | Capacity (MW) | Generation Type | Year Completed | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fort St. Vrain Generating Station | Weld County | 40°14′46″N 104°52′27″W | 969 | 3x1 Combined Cycle, Simple Cycle (x2) | 1996-2001/ 2009 | [31] |
Cherokee Generating Station | Adams County | 39°48′26″N 104°57′52″W | 928 | Steam Turbine, 2x1 Combined Cycle | 1968/2015 | [32] |
Rocky Mountain Generating Station | Weld County | 40°05′27″N 104°35′43″W | 580 | 2x1 Combined Cycle | 2004 | [33] |
Front Range Power Plant | El Paso County | 38°37′41″N 104°42′25″W | 460 | 2x1 Combined Cycle | 2003 | [34] |
Pueblo Airport Generating Station | Pueblo County | 38°19′15″N 104°31′35″W | 440 | 2x1 Combined Cycle (x2) Simple Cycle (x3) | 2012 | [35] |
Rawhide Energy Station | Larimer County | 40°51′39″N 105°01′16″W | 388 | Single Cycle (x5) | 2002/2004/ 2008 | [36] |
Brush Generating Station | Morgan County | 40°14′29″N 103°37′52″W | 307 | 1x1 Combined Cycle (x2), 2x1 Combined Cycle, Simple Cycle | 1990/1994/ 1999-2002 | [37] |
Manchief Generating Station | Morgan County | 40°13′03″N 103°41′06″W | 300 | Simple Cycle (x2) | 2000 | [38][39] |
Spindle Hill Energy Center | Weld County | 40°05′32″N 104°53′16″W | 300 | Simple Cycle (x2) | 2007 | [40] |
J M Shafer Generating Station | Weld County | 40°05′55″N 104°46′25″W | 272 | 5x2 Combined Cycle | 2012 | [37] |
Blue Spruce Energy Center | AdamsCounty | 39°44′52″N 104°40′53″W | 264 | Simple Cycle (x2) | 2003 | [41] |
Plains End Power Plant (I & II) | Jefferson County | 39°51′27″N 105°13′33″W | 231 | Reciprocating Engine (x34) | 2002/2008 | [42][43] |
Fountain Valley Power Facility | El Paso County | 38°33′25″N 104°41′15″W | 240 | Simple Cycle (x6) | 2001 | [44] |
Valmont Generating Station | Boulder County | 40°01′10″N 105°12′07″W | 227 | Simple Cycle (x3) | 1973/2000 | [45] |
Knutson Power Plant | Adams County | 39°56′28″N 104°40′55″W | 140 | Simple Cycle (x2) | 2002 | [46] |
Limon Generating Station | Lincoln County | 39°12′14″N 103°42′02″W | 140 | Simple Cycle (x2) | 2002 | [46] |
Arapahoe Combustion Turbine | Denver County | 39°40′09″N 105°00′06″W | 122 | 3x1 Combined Cycle | 2000-2002 | [47] |
Fort Lupton Generating Station | Weld County | 40°05′32″N 104°47′46″W | 88 | Simple Cycle (x2) | 1972 | [48][49] |
Rifle Generating Station | Garfield County | 39°31′02″N 107°43′48″W | 85 | 3x1 Combined Cycle | 1986 | [37] |
Ray D Nixon Power Plant | El Paso County | 38°38′00″N 104°42′21″W | 60 | Simple Cycle (x2) | 1999 | [22] |
George Birdsall Plant | El Paso County | 38.8814°N 104.8169°W | 55 | Steam Turbine (x3) | 1953-1954/ 1957 | [50] |
Colorado Energy Nations Plant | Jefferson County | 39.7606°N 105.2150°W | 40 | Steam Turbine (x3) | 1976-1977/ 1983 | |
UC Boulder Power Plant | Boulder County | 40°00′27″N 105°16′09″W | 31 | 2x1 Combined Cycle | 1992 | [51] |
OREG IV Peetz - Waste Heat Recovery | Logan County | 40°59′33″N 102°51′11″W | 3.5 | ORC Generator | 2009 | [52] |
Renewable power stations
Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.[6]
Biomass
Name | Location | Coordinates | Capacity (MW) |
Generation Type |
Fuel | Year Completed |
Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
DADS Gas Recovery | Arapahoe County | 39°39′08″N 104°42′58″W | 2.8 | Reciprocating Engine (x4) | landfill gas | 2008 | [53] |
Eagle Valley Clean Energy | Eagle County | 39°38′53″N 106°56′35″W | 12.6 | Steam Turbine | wood/wood waste | 2013 | [54] |
Front Range Project | Weld County | 40°01′46″N 105°00′17″W | 3.1 | Reciprocating Engine (x1) | landfill gas | 2011 | [55] |
Metro Wastewater Reclamation | Denver County | 39°48′28″N 104°57′15″W | 9.8 | Reciprocating Engine (x4), Single Cycle (x2) |
biogas | 1985/2000 | [56] |
Hydroelectric
Note: This list excludes Colorado's pumped-storage hydroelectric facilities.
Pumped storage
Note: Pumped-storage facilities are typically net electricity consumers over the year.
Name | Location | Coordinates | Capacity (MW) | Year Completed | Refs |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cabin Creek Generating Station | Clear Creek County | 39°39′19″N 105°42′32″W | 324 | 1967 | [86] |
Mount Elbert Powerplant | Lake County | 39°05′39″N 106°21′08″W | 200 | 1981 | [87] |
Flatiron Power Plant | Larimer County | 40°21′54″N 105°14′10″W | 8.5 | 1954 | [59][60] |
Wind farms
Solar farms
References
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- Bison Solar
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The 37.5 Megawatt (MW) DC began construction in May of 2016 and achieved substantial completion in November of 2016.
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- Platte Solar
- Rattlesnake
- Fort Lupton Solar
- SR Fort Lupton Solar
- Victory Solar
- Clear Spring Solar
- Fourth Solar Array Opens at Denver International Airport June 18, 2014
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- Mavericks Solar
- SR Mavericks Solar
- Skylark Solar
- Valley View Solar
- Kersey Solar
- Platte Valley Solar
- CRMS Solar Farm
- Major Solar Projects