Sierra Club, NRDC respond to decision to keep Comanche 2 coal plant online

DENVER - Sierra Club and NRDC have filed a response to a move by Gov. Jared Polis and Xcel Energy to weaken the Public Utilities Commission's decision to limit the usage of, and air pollution from, Comanche 2, a 50-year-old coal unit that was supposed to retire at the end of 2025.

Even worse, Xcel and state agencies are also trying to eliminate limits they agreed to in a 2021 settlement on pollution from Comanche 3 - the largest single coal unit in Colorado, and by far the state's largest single stationary source of air pollution. In doing so, the Polis administration is urging the PUC to abdicate its responsibility to enforce a settlement agreement the PUC previously approved.

Additionally, Xcel wants to water down the PUC's instructions to report on expenses before they are incurred for repairing Comanche 3, even though Xcel has a history of cost overruns at the unit that have left customers on the hook for tens of millions of dollars in increased rates and surcharges over the years.

In their joint filing on Monday, Sierra Club and the Natural Resources Defense Council outlined why these decisions are bad for people's bills, for the environment and for the public health of Coloradans.

In response, Sierra Club Colorado Chapter Director Margaret Kran-Annexstein, released the following statement:

"The administration and Xcel's efforts to weaken the PUC's decision would lead to more air pollution from two of the largest coal units in Colorado and will not address energy affordability. At a time when President Trump is pushing a pro-coal political agenda by propping up uneconomic coal plants, we need state leaders who will defend Colorado's transition away from dirty, expensive coal toward cleaner, cheaper energy sources. Gov. Polis and Xcel should be applauding the PUC for setting reasonable limits on the use of Comanche 2 and 3, rather than trying to weaken PUC oversight."

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 https://www.sierraclub.org.