Colorado PUC to take public comment

NEWS RELEASE
COLORADO PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION
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DENVER — The Commission Chair for the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC), part of the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), will conduct an in-person public comment hearing on Tuesday, October 26, to take comment on Phase One of Public Service Company of Colorado’s (PSCo) Electric Resource Plan (ERP) and Clean Energy Plan (CEP).

Public comment hearings are required by PUC rules that mandate periodic examination of a utility’s current and projected electricity needs and generation capacity, and are an important measure to ensure the Commission hears from potentially impacted parties.

The public comment hearing will be held at the Moffat County High School Library, located at 900 Finley Lane, Craig, CO 81625, and will begin at 4:00 p.m. and last until 6:00 p.m., or until concluded by the Commission. The three Commissioners of the PUC will attend the public comment hearing either in-person or remotely to hear from those present.

Those who attend the public comment hearing must follow all applicable COVID protocols and should wear masks, consistent with applicable guidelines the day of the hearing. Individuals who do not wish to follow applicable COVID protocols, as well as those who cannot attend an in-person public comment hearing for any reason, may participate in the remote public comment hearing set for December 2, 2021, or may file written comments.

All Colorado State employees will be following all COVID precautions as required by the State.

Members of the public may provide written public comments through the online portal that can be found on the PUC website at https://puc.colorado.gov/puccomments under Proceeding number 21A-0141E. Oral and written comments will be given the same weight. Details for how to participate in the remote public comment hearing are set forth in Decision No. C21-0614, which sets the public comment hearings.

PSCo’s current ERP Application is different than earlier applications in that it is the first that also contains a CEP. The CEP sets forth the additional activities that PSCo needs to do to meet the statutorily mandated 80 percent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030. In this Proceeding, the Commission is examining PSCo's plan to reduce CO2 emissions, while still providing reliable electricity service to its customers.

As part of its proposed CEP, PSCo would accelerate the retirement of the Hayden 1 coal-fired power plant to 2028 and accelerate the retirement of the Hayden 2 coal-fired power plant to 2027.

Individuals who wish to review PSCo’s ERP/CEP and the written testimony and other materials that have been filed in this Proceeding can access it through the PUC’s EFilings system, searching for Proceeding number 21A-0141E.

The Commission strives to accommodate all members of the public at its hearings and meetings by providing auxiliary aid or services for foreign language users and persons with disabilities upon receipt of a reasonable accommodation request.

Requests for such accommodations should be made at least one week prior to the public comment hearing by visiting https://puc.colorado.gov/ and clicking on “Accommodation Requests (interpreters, CART).” Requests can also be made directly by contacting Holly Bise at 720.583.9879 (video phone) or 303.894.2024 (voice), or by emailing [email protected].

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