Platte River Power Authority

From Global Energy Monitor

Platte River Power Authority (PRPA) provides wholesale electric power to four municipal electric systems in northern Colorado: Estes Park, Fort Collins, Longmont, and Loveland, in which it acquires, constructs, and operates generation capacity and supplies electric energy on a requirements basis. PRPA is a political subdivision and public corporation of the State of Colorado.[1] Platte River evolved from the Platte River Municipal Power Association, a consortium of 31 municipalities created in 1966. Four municipalities out of the original 31 banded together in 1973 to create a non-profit electric utility owned by the residents served by each local utility.[2]

Existing Coal Plants

PRPA uses wind, water, natural gas, and coal to meet its wholesale obligations to its four owner municipalities. It owns or partially owns the following coal-fired stations:[3]

Plant Name State Year(s) Built Capacity Status
Craig Station CO 1979, 1980 882.8 MW Retiring in 2025 (1 unit) and 2030 (1 unit)
Rawhide Energy Station CO 1984 294 MW Retiring in 2030

Coal lobbying

Platte River Power Authority is a member of the American Coal Ash Association (ACAA), an umbrella lobbying group for all coal ash interests that includes major coal burners Duke Energy, Southern Company and American Electric Power as well as dozens of other companies. The group argues that the so-called "beneficial-use industry" would be eliminated if a "hazardous" designation was given for coal ash waste.[4]

ACAA set up a front group called Citizens for Recycling First, which argues that using toxic coal ash as fill in other products is safe, despite evidence to the contrary.[4]

Contact details

PRPA
2000 East Horsetooth Road
Fort Collins, Colorado 80525
Phone: (970) 226-4000
Website: http://www.prpa.org/

Articles and Resources

Sources

  1. "PRPA Who We Are" Platte River Power Authority website, accessed August 2009
  2. "PRPA History" Platte River Power Authority website, accessed September 2009
  3. "PRPA: Sources of Electricity" Platte River Power Authority website, accessed August 2009.
  4. 4.0 4.1 Coal-Fired Utilities to American Public: Kiss my Ash DeSmogBlog.com & PolluterWatch, October 27, 2010.

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