If you live in or near Colorado Springs, you have likely heard about the decision to shut down the Martin Drake Power Plant in order for the city to pursue renewable energy options. Not only that, they are also planning to do it 12 years earlier than initially planned!
Colorado Springs Utilities board member Richard Skorman is quoted saying this is a huge reason for celebration and we couldn’t agree more–but we want to make sure you know why it’s such a significant decision.
The Drake Power Plant has been the primary source of energy for Colorado Springs for years and its presence is somewhat of a landmark on the south side of town. The catch? It’s coal-fueled and it’s aging, neither of which bode well for emissions. It goes without saying, then, that closing the plant all together will have significant positive impact on the air quality in the city.
The plan for now is that the power plant will be closed in 2023 and replaced with a combination of other energy sources such as natural gas units. The hopeful part about this is that even without a set-in-stone alternative, policy makers and utilities board members have recognized the economic and environmental need for change and they are taking direct action to shut down a key part of the problem. Furthermore, this opens the door for additional conversation about the best energy alternatives–be that natural gas, solar, battery-storage, or others. No matter what, emissions will be reduced and Colorado Springs will be taking a giant step forward toward a greener future.
Keep following along for more news from sources like The Gazette and the Colorado Sun about the closing and proposed energy alternatives. For more details on the closing announcement, check out this article in particular. We’re excited to see these conversations happening and are eager to see what comes of it!