Tag: colorado springs utilities
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Phillip Tollefson, first CEO of Colorado Springs Utilities, dies at age 75
Phillip Tollefson, who served as the first CEO of Colorado Springs Utilities, died Sept. 4 at his home in Wichita, Kan. He was 75. A cause of death was not listed in an obituary posted online by the funeral home Downing & Lahey. Utilities built two power plants during Tollefson’s tenure: the Tesla Hydroelectric Plant…
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‘It all starts with the kids’: Children’s Water Festival teaches conservation to Colorado Springs youngsters
Water is Colorado’s most precious resource, and the earlier residents learn to use it responsibly, the better. That was the overarching message of the 2026 Pikes Peak Children’s Water Festival, held Wednesday at the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. More than 475 fourth-grade students from Colorado Springs School District 11 and Harrison School District 2 attended…
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EDITORIAL: A breath of fresh air on energy policy
After years of stale rhetoric demanding the unrealistic elimination of all carbon from Colorado’s energy diet — an article of blind faith for our legislature and governor — it’s always refreshing, and empowering, to hear our nation’s energy czar bust the myth. U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright challenged the renewables-only mindset once again…
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Secretary of Energy, congressmen push for reliable power over renewable outside CSU coal power plant
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said Friday that the Trump administration would continue to fight against state efforts to close coal power plants, including the Ray Nixon Power Plant outside of Colorado Springs. Wright was joined by Colorado Republican Congress members Jeff Crank and Gabe Evans for a tour of Ray Nixon, the sole…
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Secretary of Energy, congressmen push for reliable power over renewable outside CSU coal power plant
U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright said Friday that the Trump administration would continue to fight against state efforts to close coal power plants, including the Ray Nixon Power Plant outside of Colorado Springs. Wright was joined by Colorado Republican Congress members Jeff Crank and Gabe Evans for a tour of Ray Nixon, the sole…
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Increases to solar net metering rates advance after widespread public concerns at City Council meeting
Rate increases for customers in Colorado Springs Utilities’ net metering solar program have moved closer to taking effect next year. The Colorado Springs City Council voted 6-2 to advance the proposed rate changes at Tuesday’s council meeting, after several hours of a public hearing where residents and solar providers voiced their concerns. The official vote…
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High temperatures, Energy Wise drive costs for Colorado Springs Utilities’ power to new heights
July saw Colorado Springs Utilities reach new heights for how much the city’s customers paid for water and electricity. The municipal utility received $31.9 million in revenue from residential electric power last month, according to data provided to The Gazette. July was the only month in the last four years when Utilities customers collectively paid…
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Water usage higher than normal in Colorado Springs this year
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with information about Colorado Springs Utilities’ Water Wise program, which placed limits on outdoor watering starting in 2020. Despite dealing with the same drought concerns as the rest of the state, Colorado Springs is using more water than normal this year. Water usage is up 6% from the…
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Colorado Springs Utilities gives first look at $2 billion budget for 2027
The budget for Colorado Springs Utilities is expected to drop slightly for 2027, landing at just above $2 billion. The proposed budget was outlined at the Utilities Board working committee meeting on Monday morning. The $2.06 billion budget for 2027 would be a notable decline from this year’s $2.24 billion budget. Utilities financial planning manager…
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Colorado’s haze lawsuit tests coal plant closure | ANALYSIS
Colorado is asking a federal appeals court to overturn the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s decision to reject the state’s plan to reduce haze at national parks and wilderness areas. At the center of the fight is a straightforward but difficult question: Can the federal government use air quality rules to force a power plant to…