HB 1365--Coal Plant Retirement/Repowering/Retrofitting Process Update

The process to review coal plants in the Denver Metro-Boulder area is proceeding with Xcel's proposal for retiring/repowering or retrofitting coal plants in the Denver-Boulder area expected to be filed at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission ("PUC") on August 13, 2010.

The details of the process are being worked out at the PUC in Docket 10M-245E. All of the filings in that docket can be accessed by searching for the docket number here.

Over the next month, Xcel will be analyzing a series of scenarios for the coal plants on the Front Range of Colorado including the 4 units at the north Denver "Cherokee" coal plant (totaling about 717 MW), the Valmont plant in Boulder (about 186 MW) and the 500 MW "Pawnee" coal plant in Brush (NE of Denver).

The list of scenarios that Xcel will be modeling are attached along with Xcel's explanation of how they will be proceeding.

Clean Energy Action's Leslie Glustrom has filed a Motion asking the Commission to review Xcel's suggested coal costs due to concern that Xcel's proposed coal costs are likely to be much lower than future coal costs. The Motion summarizing the information on Xcel's coal costs is also attached. Further background information is available on request.

After Xcel files its proposal on August 13,2010 the parties to the Commission proceeding will be followed by testimony from other parties and a formal "adjudicated" hearing on the plan beginning in the last half of October 2010. A final decision is expected in December 2010.

Since these coal plants lie at the "heart" of Xcel's system, there are numerous operational and timing issues that need to be addressed to ensure that Xcel's system remains stable and loads can be met. These issues are a significant part of what will be discussed during the PUC proceedings.

Future updates will be provided as more information becomes available.