Bennet Statement on Federal Intervention at Northwest Colorado Power Plant

Dec 31, 2025|Press Releases
Denver— Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the following statement following theDepartment of Energy’s 202(c) 90-day orderto require Craig Station’s Unit 1, a 427 MW coal-fired power plant in Northwest Colorado, to remain operational past its planned 2025 retirement:
“President Trump’s so-called “energy emergency” is being used to justify tying the hands of utilities, forcing them to keep aging, outdated power plants open, often at high cost to the consumers they serve, whether or not it makes sense for energy reliability. It is unacceptable to burden ratepayers with these unnecessary costs. The Department of Energy (DOE) should be focused on doing everything it can to partner with transitioning communities and make energy more affordable. Instead, this administration is overriding business decisions and ignoring the costly consequences for Coloradans.
“The DOE order is the latest in a string of attacks against Colorado, because we refuse to bend to the President. President Trump continues to take out his personal and political grievances on Coloradans who are already struggling to make ends meet. Federal intervention like this makes long-term planning impossible – this is not how you operate a business, plan an electric grid, or help a community stay prosperous. I am disappointed but not surprised by this continued revenge tour.”
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