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• Controversial NeuStream System Going in at Martin Drake Play Video

  March 27, 2013 12:24 PM

  The debate continues at City Hall in Colorado Springs over the future of the Martin Drake Power Plant downtown. Despite some opposition, Colorado Springs Utilities is moving forward with a new emission control system. It's called the NeuStream scrubbers, and the project is now 60% complete with a major... more »

• Colorado Springs Utilities responds to potential lawsuit over Martin Drake power plant Play Video

  November 16, 2012 1:27 AM

  As Colorado Springs Utilities moves forward with their multi-million dollar plan to improve air quality at the Martin Drake power plant downtown, a local agency acting as a watchdog for environmental quality is gearing up for a lawsuit. The target of that suit is CSU. The Sierra Club... more »

• Colorado city weighs whether to OK nuclear plant

  March 26, 2011 6:50 PM

  PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) - At a time when Japan's nuclear crisis has nations worldwide questioning reactor safety, Southern Colorado's Pueblo County is taking up a fledgling proposal to build a nuclear power plant - the state's first since a plant in the northern town of Platteville was decommissioned in 1989.... more »

• Anti-nuclear crowd speaks to county commissioners

  March 16, 2011 11:06 PM

  A day after those in favor of a Pueblo County nuclear power plant had their say, the other side speaks. Pueblo County commissioners heard testimony from residents on Wednesday who don't want the plant to come to town. Some like Ross Vincent say they flat out don't trust the nuclear... more »

• Proponents of nuclear power plant speak out

  March 15, 2011 11:23 PM

  Lines are being drawn in Pueblo County as county commissioners consider bringing a 24,000 acre nuclear power plant to Avondale. The debate is so heated, meeting nights are split based on those in favor and those who aren't. Tuesday night belonged to those in favor of bringing the plant to... more »

• Japan declares emergency at another nuclear plant

  March 13, 2011 5:52 PM

  KORIYAMA, Japan (AP) - More than 180,000 people have been evacuated from the area around a Japanese nuclear plant where a partial meltdown may have occurred. Officials are offering limited and sometimes conflicting information. One official says the core in one reactor has partially melted, despite frantic efforts to... more »

• An emergency at second nuclear plant declared in Japan

  March 12, 2011 6:47 PM

  TOKYO (AP) - Japan's nuclear safety agency is reporting an emergency at a second reactor in the same complex where an explosion occurred earlier. The agency says the cooling system has now malfunctioned at the plant's Unit 3. The plant is one of two damaged in Friday's earthquake and tsunami. more »

• Three from quake-damaged Japanese nuclear plant exposed to radiation.

  March 12, 2011 1:26 PM

  IWAKI, Japan (AP) - Officials are trying to ease fears about radiation leakage and a potential meltdown after an explosion today at a nuclear plant in northeastern Japan. They say the reactor's metal housing remains intact and radiation levels have fallen. But authorities have evacuated a 12-mile radius around the... more »

• Commissioners face vote on proposed nuclear power plant

  February 23, 2011 8:25 PM

  Plans are moving forward to allow the construction of a nuclear power plant in Southern Colorado. The plant would be located about 25 miles Southeast of Pueblo. County commissioners must now decide whether to okay the project. The project certainly has it's critics, including the Sierra Club which argues... more »

• Environmental group opposed to proposed nuclear power plant

  February 23, 2011 12:47 AM

  A group wants to build a clean energy park in southeast Pueblo County including a nuclear power plant, but not everyone supports it. Puebloans for Energizing Our Community want to build the energy park south of Highway 50, about 25 miles east of Pueblo. The land is zoned... more »

• Palisade considers tax increase for fire services

  October 19, 2010 8:34 AM

  Palisade voters are being asked for a property tax increase that supporters say will help the town's fire protection district after a loss of funding. Palisade Rural Fire Protection District Treasurer Maggie Somerville says the property tax increase is needed because the town will lose $50,000 in revenue when... more »

• Coal industry group challenges PUC

  October 13, 2010 7:27 PM

  DENVER (AP) - A Colorado coal-industry group has asked two public utilities commissioners to recuse themselves from considering a plan by Xcel Energy to switch some power plants to run on natural gas instead of coal. A new state law required Xcel Energy to file a plan to cut... more »

• Black Hills moving on power plant construction

  September 28, 2010 8:22 PM

  Construction in underway on two new natural gas power plants near the Pueblo Memorial Airport. Black Hills Energy is spending more than $400 million to build the complex, which is located off of Pete Jimenez Parkway. On Tuesday, Pueblo County Commissioners approved an incentive agreement with the energy company. Black... more »

• Black Hills Energy mulls power plant options

  August 20, 2010 11:38 AM

  Black Hills Energy is studying two options for its coal-fired power plant in Canon City to comply with a new Colorado law aimed at cutting pollution from power plants. The company says it is studying whether to convert the plant to woody biomass or shutter it and expand a... more »

• Pueblo City Council to vote on Black Hills plant

  June 14, 2010 2:26 PM

  Tonight-June 14, city council is expected to vote on a deal that could bring a $450 million power complex to Pueblo. Last month the project almost came to a halt--but now it appears a compromise has been made. Black Hills Energy has selected Pueblo as its preferred site to build... more »

• Black Hills seeks rate hike of 8 to 15 percent

  May 13, 2010 4:46 PM

  Black Hills Energy plans to seek a rate hike to help it pay for costs of building a $450 million natural gas-fired power plant to serve Pueblo customers. Black Hills currently serves about 93,000 Pueblo-area customers with power from Xcel Energy. Black Hills CEO David Emery told investors last... more »

• Noisy power plant turned off

  April 6, 2010 7:42 PM

  Xcel Energy says the new unit at its coal-fired Comanche power plant in Pueblo is offline for minor repairs and won't be restarted until it is outfitted to reduce noise. Neighbors have complained of a high-pitched whine coming from the Comanche Generating Station's third unit, forcing some from their... more »

• Backers of power plant bill rally at the Capitol

  March 29, 2010 8:42 AM

  Backers of legislation requiring Xcel Energy to reduce emissions at some of its Front Range coal-fired power plants plan to rally at the Capitol on Monday. Gov. Bill Ritter plans to join lawmakers, Xcel, natural gas companies and environmentalists for the event ahead of Senate debate on the bill. It... more »

• Disposal of coal ash a long haul

  March 8, 2010 12:51 PM

  More than a year after a Tennessee coal ash spill created one of the worst environmental disasters of its kind in U.S. history, the problem is seeping into several other states. It began Dec. 22, 2008, when a retaining pond burst at a coal-burning power plant, spilling 5.4 million... more »

• Xcel promises to cut pollution in Colorado

  March 6, 2010 8:52 AM

  Xcel Energy is promising to cut air pollution over the next seven years. A deal announced Friday by Gov. Bill Ritter, the company and lawmakers will require Xcel to reduce pollutants by retiring or modifying Front Range coal-fired power plants by 2017. The power plants would be replaced by natural... more »

• Vermont towns want nuclear power plant closed

  March 3, 2010 12:08 PM

  In their annual town meeting on Tuesday, folks in this Vermont ski town voted on a town budget, debated the need for a new roof on the fire department building and adjourned at lunchtime to nosh on Tracey Coutts' famous "yummy chicken pieces" casserole and cherry pie. But at... more »

• Public meeting to explain power plant "hum"

  February 23, 2010 5:28 PM

  Resident near the new Comanche 3 Power Plant on the southeast side of Pueblo will hear tonight about possible fixes for a humming noise that has irritated many neighbors. The meeting, at 7 p.m. at Pueblo County High School, will give Xcel officials a chance to explain their theories... more »

• Obama to announce loan guarantee for nuclear plant

  February 16, 2010 10:53 AM

  President Barack Obama is expected to announce federal loan guarantees for construction of a new nuclear power plant as he highlights investment in energy jobs. Obama is scheduled to make remarks after touring a job training center at the headquarters of Local 26 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers... more »

• Humming noise traced to power plant

  February 11, 2010 7:07 PM

  An incessant noise reported by residents in eastern Pueblo County has been traced to the Comanche Generation Station, located southeast of the city of Pueblo. The noise, best described as a "hum" is coming from the third and newest of the coal-fired electric generating facilities. A news release from... more »

• Connecticut governor calls for safety review after blast

  February 8, 2010 4:57 PM

  Connecticut's governor is calling for a review of state safety codes following a deadly explosion at a power plant in Middletown. Rell announced Monday that she is creating two panels - one to identify the cause and origin of Sunday's explosion at the Kleen Energy Systems plant and any... more »

• Sierra Club concerned about Pueblo's air quality

  December 29, 2009 7:00 PM

  Pueblo City Council members have approved a deal that could bring a $500 million power generating complex to Pueblo. This may be a victory for Black Hills Energy and city government, but the Sierra Club says it may have a huge impact on public health. With talk of these two... more »

• Pueblo makes initial pact on $500 million power plant

  December 16, 2009 7:42 PM

  City leaders are trying to get a new $500 million power plant built in Pueblo. Black Hills Energy is considering building the plant about 2-miles northwest of the Pueblo Industrial Airport, but the company is also considering other options. The proposed project could bring up to 40 permanent jobs to... more »

• Black Hills Corp. subsidiary to build CO plant

  September 30, 2009 8:08 AM

  A utility subsidiary of Rapid City, S.D.-based Black Hills Corp. plans to build a 200 megawatt power plant in southeastern Colorado. Black Hills Colorado IPP will build the natural gas-fired plant and sell the electricity it generates to Black Hills Energy-Colorado Electric, a subsidiary of Black Hills Corp., through a... more »