Energy transition
Energy transition
Platte River Power Authority is transforming how electricity is generated and delivered. Guided by the Resource Diversification Policy, Platte River is pursuing a 100% noncarbon energy mix while maintaining the high standards of reliability and financial sustainability demonstrated during its first five decades of operation. This transition is one of the most significant undertakings in Platte River’s history and reflects a shared commitment to a cleaner, more resilient energy future.
Why Platte River is transitioning
Platte River’s energy transition is driven by long-term planning needs, policy direction and community input.
Resource Diversification Policy
Adopted unanimously in 2018, the RDP directs Platte River to pursue a 100% noncarbon energy mix while maintaining reliability and financial sustainability. The policy acknowledges that achieving this goal depends on technological advancements, regional market development, transmission expansion and maintaining system reliability.
Colorado clean energy requirements
While Platte River is not regulated by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, our transition strategy aligns with the state’s broader goal of reducing carbon emissions 80% below 2005 levels by 2030 and supports the region’s long‑term environmental and economic health.
Community input and board direction
Platte River’s owner communities and board of directors have consistently expressed strong support for the energy transition. Platte River’s strategy reflects this shared vision and the expectations of the four owner communities.
How Platte River is transitioning
Platte River’s transition is built on coordinated actions that reduce emissions, maintain reliability and support long‑term financial sustainability.
Distributed energy resources, including rooftop solar, distributed storage, energy efficiency, flexible loads and demand response, play an important role in Platte River’s transition.
Platte River’s approach includes:
- Executing the comprehensive DER strategy developed in 2024, including our owner communities, that expands Efficiency Works into distributed solutions and programs
- Launching programs that support customer-side solar, storage and electrification
- Developing a virtual power plant (VPP) to aggregate customer-side resources
As Platte River adds more wind, solar and battery storage, the system requires flexible, fast‑starting resources that can support reliability when renewable generation is low. To meet this need, Platte River is installing five simple‑cycle, natural gas‑fired aeroderivative turbines at Rawhide Energy Station.
These turbines use jet‑engine technology and are designed for flexibility and rapid response. They will:
- Provide 200 MW of dispatchable capacity
- Start quickly to meet sudden changes in demand or renewable output
- Operate during extreme weather, outages and peak demand events
- Complement wind, solar, battery storage and VPP resources
- Support ancillary services that keep the grid stable and balanced
Key actions include:
- Adding new utility-scale solar and wind projects
- Expanding battery storage to support the intermittency of renewable resources
- Planning additional renewable resource additions through 2030
Platte River joined the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Regional Transmission Organization on April 1, 2026. RTOs bring utilities together to manage the grid across large geographic areas, balancing supply and demand in real time and planning transmission to ensure reliable, cost‑effective power delivery.
Participation in the SPP RTO helps Platte River:
- Integrate more renewable energy
- Maintain reliability through real‑time balancing
- Manage costs by sharing resources across a broader footprint
A noncarbon energy future requires a strong, flexible transmission system. Platte River is investing in transmission upgrades that will:
- Move renewable energy from where it is generated to where it is needed
- Support electrification of buildings and transportation
- Enable DER growth
- Improve resilience during extreme weather
- Enhance coordination with regional utilities
As the grid becomes more dependent on wind and solar resources, Platte River must plan for periods when renewable generation is low or unavailable. These conditions, often called “dark calm” events, occur when wind speeds drop and solar production is limited for extended periods, sometimes lasting multiple days.
Through its integrated resource plan, Platte River models:
- Heat waves
- Cold snaps
- Multi‑day low‑wind/low‑solar events
- Rapid changes in renewable output
This planning helps determine:
- How much dispatchable capacity is needed
- How much battery storage is required
- What reserve margins must be maintained
- How DERs and VPPs can support the system during extreme conditions
Expanding renewable energy and battery storage
- Adding new utility-scale solar and wind projects
- Expanding battery storage to support the intermittency of renewable resources
- Planning additional renewable resource additions through 2030
Integrating DERs and launching a virtual power plant (VPP)
- Executing the comprehensive DER strategy developed in 2024, including our owner communities, that expands Efficiency Works into distributed solutions and programs
- Launching programs that support customer-side solar, storage and electrification
- Developing a virtual power plant (VPP) to aggregate customer-side resources
Adding new dispatchable capacity to support reliability
- Provide 200 MW of dispatchable capacity
- Start quickly to meet sudden changes in demand or renewable output
- Operate during extreme weather, outages and peak demand events
- Complement wind, solar, battery storage and VPP resources
- Support ancillary services that keep the grid stable and balanced
Participating in theSPP RTO market
Platte River joined the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) Regional Transmission Organization on April 1, 2026. RTOs bring utilities together to manage the grid across large geographic areas, balancing supply and demand in real time and planning transmission to ensure reliable, cost‑effective power delivery.
Participation in the SPP RTO helps Platte River:
- Integrate more renewable energy
- Maintain reliability through real‑time balancing
- Manage costs by sharing resources across a broader footprint
Strengthening transmissionand infrastructure
A noncarbon energy future requires a strong, flexible transmission system. Platte River is investing in transmission upgrades that will:
- Move renewable energy from where it is generated to where it is needed
- Support electrification of buildings and transportation
- Enable DER growth
- Improve resilience during extreme weather
- Enhance coordination with regional utilities
Preparing for extreme weather and “dark calm” events
As the grid becomes more dependent on wind and solar resources, Platte River must plan for periods when renewable generation is low or unavailable. These conditions, often called “dark calm” events, occur when wind speeds drop and solar production is limited for extended periods, sometimes lasting multiple days.
Through its integrated resource plan, Platte River models:
- Heat waves
- Cold snaps
- Multi‑day low‑wind/low‑solar events
- Rapid changes in renewable output
This planning helps determine:
- How much dispatchable capacity is needed
- How much battery storage is required
- What reserve margins must be maintained
- How DERs and VPPs can support the system during extreme conditions
Preparing for these scenarios helps Platte River support reliability during the transition to noncarbon resources, even during the most challenging weather events.
Progress to date
Since 2018, Platte River has made substantial progress toward a
cleaner, more flexible and more reliable energy portfolio.
Announced the early retirement of all coal resources
Platte River announced the planned retirement of Craig Unit 1 at the end of 2025 and will retire Craig Unit 2 in 2028 and Rawhide Unit 1 in 2029, marking a major shift away from coal and reducing carbon emissions.
Completed a comprehensive DER strategy
This strategy outlines how customers-side resources, including rooftop solar, distributed storage, energy efficiency, flexible loads and demand response – will support Platte River’s long-term resource needs. The first virtual power plant (VPP) programs will launch in late 2026, enabling customers in Platte River’s owner communities to participate directly in the energy transition.
Added significant wind, solar and battery storage resources
Platte River has expanded its renewable portfolio with several major projects since the RDP was passed:
- 225 MW of wind energy at Roundhouse in 2020
- 22 MW of solar energy and a 2MW Tesla battery bank at Rawhide Prairie Solar in 2021
- 150 MW of solar energy at Black Hollow Sun (Phase 1) in 2025
Joined the SPP RTO market
On April 1, 2026, Platte River became a member of the Southwest Power Pool Regional Transmission Organization (SPP RTO). Market participation improves efficiency, enhances reliability and helps integrate more renewable energy by accessing a larger pool of regional resources. Learn more about our energy market participation.
Coming soon
Platte River’s transition includes several major steps between now and 2030:
- Retire Craig Unit 2 (2028) and Rawhide Unit 1 (2029)
- Complete the 100 MW Weld Energy Storage Project and 20 MW additional distributed storage (5 MW in each owner community)
- Complete Black Hollow Sun Phase 2 (107 MW)
- Evaluate the addition of new wind resources
- Construct five aeroderivative turbines
- Expand DER and VPP programs across all owner communities
Looking ahead
Platte River’s energy transition is ongoing, collaborative and adaptive.
As technology evolves and customer expectations change, Platte River will continue to refine its approach to support a sustainable and reliable energy system.
Looking ahead, Platte River will:
- Work closely with owner communities to align planning, investments and customer programs
- Monitor emerging technologies, including long‑duration storage, advanced grid controls and new renewable technologies
- Expand customer‑focused programs that support electrification, energy efficiency and distributed energy resources
- Continue evaluating resource needs to ensure reliability as demand grows and the resource mix changes
- Adapt to market conditions, regulatory changes and evolving industry standards
- Maintain financial sustainability while investing in the infrastructure needed for a noncarbon future
Platte River’s long‑term vision is a clean, reliable and affordable energy system that supports the needs of our communities for decades to come.
Per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Platte River Power Authority will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with a disability who need assistance. Please email us at [email protected] or call 970-226-4000. “Walk-in” requests for auxiliary aids and services may be honored to the extent possible but can be unavailable if advance notice is not provided.
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