Colorado Chamber member, Tri-State Generation and Transmission, recently announced that it will be shutting down its final coal plant in Craig two years early. The plan underscores the Colorado business community’s role as a collaborative partner in accomplishing environmental goals and its commitment to emissions reductions.
As part of that effort, Tri-State is seeking $970 million through a new program for cooperative electric suppliers through the federal Inflation Reduction Act.
The cooperative said its 2023 electric resource plan, which adds 1,250 megawatts of new renewable energy resources and energy storage through 2031, also includes the addition of a dispatchable natural gas unit in 2028 with carbon capture and sequestration added in 2031. The plan also calls for retiring another coal-fired plant in Arizona by 2031, which would also be ahead of schedule.
“Our ambitious plan, with federal funding, can accelerate clean energy investment and significant greenhouse gas emissions reductions at a lower cost than alternative scenarios, all while exceeding both industry-standard and heightened extreme weather reliability criteria,” said Tri-State CEO Duane Highley.
Along with being a valued member of the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, Tri-State is also an investor and participant in the Colorado Chamber’s Environmental and Sustainability Task Force.
The task force allows for collaboration among businesses operating in Colorado to identify and promote efforts to improve the environment and mitigate emissions. It convenes employers, operators and policy experts interested in the intersection between environmental sustainability and public policy. The partnership focuses on both regulatory and legislative solutions that allow for technological innovation and environmental progress.
Read more about Tri-State’s efforts here and learn more about the Colorado Chamber’s Environmental and Sustainability Task Force here.