COLORADO SPRINGS — Leaders at Colorado Springs Utilities are speaking up about the updated climate action plan announced by Colorado Governor Jared Polis last week.
“We do have concerns, heavy concerns for the cost to our ratepayers with this plan, and potential reliability issues,” said Colorado Springs Utilities, CEO, Travas Deal.
Colorado Springs Utilities has been on board with the original plan announced in 2021 to aggressively reduce greenhouse emissions across Colorado.
The just-released version has a section that Deal says is unrealistic with current renewable energy technology.
In the release from the Governor, it says the new plan includes, “legislation to support climate-friendly strategic growth; policies to achieve 100% clean electricity generation by 2040.”
If this becomes a required regulation, Deal said, it will likely put “extreme” pressure on utility bills, and at the same time raise issues with the reliability of electricity on extreme weather days.
“I think technology will get there; we can deliver zero carbon. We are just not there yet,” said Deal
The governor’s announcement also said, “This updated roadmap was informed by robust stakeholder engagement.”
Colorado Springs Utilities, the second-largest utility provider in the state was not invited to the table.
“This next plan has really had zero conversation with us,” said Deal.
Deal wants to be in on the conversation before this becomes required regulation.
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