Three Emergency Alerts This Summer Made the Case for Craig Unit 1
On September 25, 2026, the Department of Energy ordered the coal-fired Craig Unit 1 to stay available to run through December 25. It is the fourth 90-day order under the Federal Power Act’s Section 202(c) authority, and the first for Craig Unit 1 since the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals vacated a similar order for […]
Southwest Power Pool narrowly avoids blackouts
The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) issued its highest-level alert on Monday, July 20, 2026, for its western states, including Colorado. SPP’s West balancing authority is back to stable operations at the time of publication, but for a short while on Monday, grid conditions were dicey. By Monday, July 20, at 4:38 p.m. CT, SPP had put its western region under an EEA Level 1, which is at a […]
Colorado Springs Utilities Coal Plant May Get Stay of Execution
Last week, Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) earned a likely stay of execution for its Ray Nixon coal plant. It came in the form of a surprise compromise bill pushed by environmental groups meant to head off more sweeping relief. The bill, SB26-182, would allow a three-year extension of the retirement of the coal unit until […]
SPP Issues First Resource Advisory — A Week after Colorado Utilities Join Up
A week after Colorado utilities joined the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) on April 1, the RTO has issued a Resource Advisory for the West, active through April 13. SPP’s brand-new western footprint is experiencing its first reliability stress event. The public does not need to “conserve energy or take any action,” to respond to the […]