Adams County may soon land its third large-scale battery manufacturing plant, one producing more affordable and environmentally safer batteries. The Colorado Economic Development Commission approved $1,053,000 in state Strategic Fund incentives on Thursday morning to Project Eleven, the code name for a startup developing sodium-ion battery technologies. “The main drivers for the location decision are incentives, a business-friendly tax environment, access to talent and renewable energy policies,” Michelle Hadwiger, director of global business development at the Colorado Office of Economic Deve ..read more

Xcel Energy-Colorado needs to communicate much better, provide more notice and work with local governments and agencies the next time it shuts off power during high winds to reduce the outbreak of wildfires, members of the public told state regulators Wednesday. The Colorado Public Utilities Commission held a two-hour hearing as the first step in an investigation into Xcel’s decision to cut power to about 55,000 customers along the northern Front Range as a precaution April 6-7. More than another 100,000 customers lost power during the strong winds that reached gusts of up to 95 mph. People an ..read more

For the first time in more than 40 years, a congressional district in Colorado is without a voice in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1983, a seat sat vacant because Jack Swigert, a former astronaut on the Apollo 13 who was elected the previous November, died of cancer one week before taking office. This time around, it’s because Republican Ken Buck stepped down from Congress late last month — more than nine months before the end of his fifth term representing the 4th Congressional District. Congressional candidate Jack Swigert casts his vote on Nov. 2, 1982. He won the election but died ..read more

Legislation that would have phased out new oil and gas drilling in Colorado by the end of the decade and could have put former owners on the hook for cleaning up depleted wells was defeated late Thursday night after a nine-hour hearing. The legislation, Senate Bill 24-159, prompted TV ads and a rally at the state Capitol by opponents saying the measure would shut down Colorado’s oil and gas industry and eliminate thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in revenue for the state, schools and local governments. About 200 people signed up to testify before the Senate Agriculture and Natural Reso ..read more

Environmentalists and community activists have filed three statewide ballot proposals in a counter-move against the oil and gas industry’s attempts to sway public policy by putting a slew of questions before voters. It’s the latest salvo in an escalating conflict over efforts to move away from fossil fuels in Colorado and the industry’s pushback against what it sees as attempts to shut down drilling. The filing of the three measures Thursday follows submission of seven proposals by the industry and its supporters that would ban state and local laws, ordinances and codes that favor or discrimin ..read more

Xcel Energy-Colorado expects its rates to stay relatively flat in the second quarter of 2024, with a slight rise in electric rates and a small drop in natural gas bills. The utility said in a statement that based on natural gas costs, the typical residential customer could see a 4.17% decline, or $1.73, in the monthly bill. Rates for small commercial customers are expected to drop 4.82%, or $9.19, a month. Xcel said residential electric bills will likely increase on average 1.67%, or $1.49, a month and bills for small businesses will go up an average of 1.8%, or $2.26, a month. The increase re ..read more

A bill that would provide state tax rebates to draw data centers to Colorado has run into opposition from critics who warn of the facilities’ large demands for energy and water and potentially higher costs for other electric customers. The legislation would offer state sales and use tax rebates for construction materials and equipment starting in 2026. Senate Bill 24-085 declares that investing in projects such as data centers “is crucial for the economy of the future” and Colorado, considered a growing high-tech hub, is falling behind in attracting the facilities. “I look at data centers as i ..read more

The land Cindy and Ronald McCormick bought for their “forever” home in the rolling hills of eastern Adams County came with a stunning view of the Front Range. It also came with an out-of-service oil well, an open pit, aging storage tanks, a dilapidated shed and a broken promise from a company to clean it all up. After learning that the company, Painted Pegasus Petroleum, went bankrupt, leaving nearly 200 wells across the county for others to take care of, the McCormicks decided to join a lawsuit seeking damages. The lawsuit filed by Denver attorney Christopher Carrington and attorney Cami ..read more

Four years after an overhaul of Colorado’s oil and gas rules that was meant to cool conflicts over drilling, a draft bill that would phase out new permits for wells is running up the temperature. Fanning the heat even more are ballot proposals that could restrict efforts to boost renewable energy. Gov. Jared Polis said he hoped a law approved in 2019 would end the state’s “oil and gas wars” by tightening regulations and putting protection of public health and the environment front and center. But growing concerns about climate change and Colorado’s failure to meet federal air quality standards ..read more

Provided by Energy Outreach Colorado Agencies and organizations that help weatherize homes and help people pay their utility bills say Coloradans continue to struggle with energy costs. They say overall elevated costs of living are the reason. Natural gas prices are lower than a year ago, when many Coloradans saw big jumps in their heating bills, but the need for help to pay utility bills remains high, say agencies that offer assistance. For the week ending Jan. 21, the nonprofit Energy Outreach Colorado fielded 555 applications for assistance and spent $333,229, said spokeswoman Denise Stept ..read more