Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, Rep. Jeff Crank (CO-05) and Rep. Gabe Evans (CO-08) toured the Ray D. Nixon Power Plant located south of Fountain, Colo., and operated by Colorado Springs Utilities on Sept. 4. In his remarks after the tour, Secretary Wright said that what matters most to the nation's energy needs is reliable, affordable electricity production, especially during periods of peak demand.
Plant Capacity
260+ MW
In Operation Since
1980
Planned Decommission
2032
U.S. Coal Power Share
22%
The Main Points
The Ray D. Nixon Power Plant is primarily a coal-fueled power plant generating more than 260 megawatts of electricity. It has been in operation since 1980 and its planned decommission date by Springs Utilities is 2032.
Secretary Wright is opposed to the Nixon Power Plant closing on the currently established timeline, stating it would be foolish to close the plant before the end of its working lifetime. In September 2021, the U.S. Energy Information Administration reported that the average number of years in service for coal-fired power plants is 50 years, placing the Nixon Power Plant within the retirement age of its peers.
When asked about clean energy, the secretary stated the nation must look at all different energy technologies, but said relying only on wind, solar and batteries is not a solution to the nation's energy needs.
Secretary Wright, Rep. Crank and Rep. Evans all spoke against legislation and policies at the Colorado state level that are leading to the closure of coal-fired plants. The secretary stated that expensive, unreliable energy is not good for Colorado's or the nation's economy, and that the energy plan should prioritize expansion above all.
"Coal is a reliable, baseload domestic energy resource to help power our grid here in Colorado. Colorado's burdensome energy mandates continue to cost our region, not only with higher utility bills but they also threaten our national security assets."
Rep. Jeff Crank, CO-05
The secretary is looking to natural gas to power growth in energy production. He said that when the sustainable energy industry no longer has subsidies it will not be an economically viable source for energy production.
Secretary Wright acknowledged the need for increased power generation is partially attributed to the growth of data centers, "but the benefits and tax revenue and jobs outweigh concerns over data center power consumption."
"Coal has powered American prosperity for generations and continues to provide the reliable, around-the-clock electricity our grid needs. The Trump Administration is committed to adding reliable power to the grid, not prematurely shutting down generation that is already keeping the lights on. Ray Nixon is a great example of the critical baseload power Colorado needs to meet growing electricity demand while keeping energy affordable and secure."
Chris Wright, U.S. Secretary of Energy
In a statement released after the event, Springs Utilities CEO Travas Deal said the utility appreciates the secretary's enthusiasm for a diverse energy portfolio while remaining committed to its partnership with state policymakers and complying with state law.
"We appreciate the Secretary's enthusiasm for a diverse energy portfolio. That said, we value our partnership with state policymakers and are committed to complying with state law."
Travas Deal, CEO, Colorado Springs Utilities
Springs Utilities is the municipally owned provider of electricity, natural gas, water and wastewater services for the Colorado Springs region.
The History
Colorado's Clean Energy Plan, enacted by SB 19-236 in 2019, established deadlines and targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions associated with electric power. The bill mandated reducing carbon dioxide emissions to 80% of 2005 levels by 2030 and 90% by 2050.
Senate Bill 26-022, filed in January 2026, would have extended the deadline to find affordable and reliable replacement power supplies, helping utilities struggling to achieve Colorado's Clean Energy Plan targets established by SB 19-236. The bill did not pass beyond the Senate Committee on Transportation and Energy.
New legislation with the same goal, Senate Bill 26-182, was filed in April as a compromise that achieves the state's emissions reduction goals without compromising electrical power generation reliability and affordability. It was signed into law on May 21.
This bill allows municipally owned utilities struggling to achieve the state's 2030 emission reduction targets to submit an updated clean energy plan to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission no later than December 31, 2026. The revised plan must meet the 2030 emission reduction goals by the earliest date possible on or after Dec. 31, 2029 and no later than Dec. 31, 2032 — a two-year extension.
Senate Bill 26-182 created a pathway for Springs Utilities to operate the coal-fired unit at the Ray Nixon Power Plant until Dec. 31, 2032, securing more time for the transition to other sources of power and to avoid the risk of reliability gaps and acquire affordable replacement power.
Some of the issues preventing Springs Utilities from implementing the clean energy plan by 2030 were the lack of long-distance electric transmission lines because the company is structured around local power generation, ongoing supply chain challenges, new federal regulations and high demand for renewable energy resources nationwide that drove up prices.