In The NoCo

How a $70 million deal in Northwest Colorado creates a blueprint for future coal plant closures

By In The NoCo,

Published July 18, 2024 at 5:30 AM MDT

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The Craig coal-fired power plant and three coal mines are scheduled to shut down completely by 2028.

$70 million is the amount a utility company will pay to a community in Northwestern Colorado when it shuts down a coal plant that drives a large part of the local economy.

Tri-State Energy plans to close its coal-fired power station, and all three coal mines, in Craig by 2028. The closure comes as Colorado moves to do away with coal-fired power and reduce its reliance on fossil fuels.

The $70 million payment to Craig and Moffat County sets a precedent. It’s the first time a utility company that closes a coal plant will pay money to address the hole that’s left behind in the local economy.

Host Erin O’Toole talked with Eli Pace, editor of the Steamboat Pilot & Today and the Craig Press, about how the settlement come together. He’s been covering the settlement and talked about how it creates a blueprint for Colorado communities facing similar shutdowns.

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In The NoCo

KUNC's In The NoCo is a daily slice of stories, news, people and issues. It's a window to the communities along the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The show brings context and insight to the stories of the day, often elevating unheard voices in the process. And because life in Northern Colorado is a balance of work and play, we celebrate the lighter side of things here, too.

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Ariel Lavery

Ariel Lavery grew up in Louisville, Colorado and has returned to the Front Range after spending over 25 years moving around the country. She co-created the podcast Middle of Everywhere for WKMS, Murray State University’s NPR member station, and won Public Media Journalism awards in every season she produced for Middle of Everywhere. Her most recent series project is "The Burn Scar", published with The Modern West podcast. In it, she chronicles two years of her family’s financial and emotional struggle following the loss of her childhood home in the Marshall Fire.

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Erin O'Toole

As the host of KUNC’s new program and podcast In the NoCo, I work closely with our producers and reporters to bring context and diverse perspectives to the important issues of the day. Northern Colorado is such a diverse and growing region, brimming with history, culture, music, education, civic engagement, and amazing outdoor recreation. I love finding the stories and voices that reflect what makes NoCo such an extraordinary place to live.

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