Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc. retired its 100-MW Nucla coal-fired power plant in western Colorado ahead of schedule.
The power plant started operating in Montrose County in 1959 and was originally set to be retired by the end of 2022, according to a Sept. 19 news release.
The retirement will help Tri-State meet its deadline for ending plant operations under Colorado's regional haze visibility state implementation plan. As part of its "responsible energy plan," Tri-State also plans to transition to a cleaner energy portfolio while providing "reliable and affordable" generation to its 43-member cooperatives and public power districts.
The plant's employees will immediately start pre-decommissioning activities. Dismantling of the facility is expected to begin in the first half of 2020.
