Tri-State retires Nucla power plant ahead of schedule

WESTMINSTER — Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association Inc. Thursday officially retired its Nucla Station, its 100-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Western Colorado, three years ahead of schedule.

The Westminster-based power cooperative said the facility’s retirement came as it exhausted its remaining on-site fuel supply earlier in September. Tri-State met its deadline for ending plant operations under Colorado’s regional haze visibility State Implementation Plan. The facility was set to be retired by the end of 2022.

Tri-State will provide $500,000 over the next five years in support the community affected by the closure.

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“While our generating station has been a significant part of Nucla and Naturita communities for many years, it made the most sense to come offline at this time in a controlled fashion, while maintaining compliance with all of our federal and state environmental regulations,” Duane Highley, Tri-State CEO, said in a press release. “We will support the remaining employees at the plant and the community during this transitional period of decommissioning and dismantling the facility.”

Nucla Station, which began operations in 1959, has 35 employees who will continue at the plant and immediately commence work on pre-decommissioning activities. Dismantling of the facility is expected to begin during the first half of 2020.

Tri-State’s membership includes 43 distribution cooperatives and public power districts that serve 1.3 million people in Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico and Wyoming.