--- title: Colorado communities argue the “just transition” from coal isn’t all that just description: Colorado communities challenge the fairness of transition plans as the state moves to close coal plants, risking jobs and tax revenues in affected areas. image: https://rcedp.org/hubfs/YV%20Bugle%20-%20Hayden%20Station.jpg --- Theme + Migration = $1489 (Pay for the Theme Only). 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[Consumer Expenditures](https://rcedp.org/data/consumer-expenditures) - [Wages](https://rcedp.org/wages) - [Businesses](https://rcedp.org/businesses) - [Talent & Education](https://rcedp.org/data/talent-pool) - [Economic Reports](https://rcedp.org/economic-reports) - [News](https://rcedp.org/news) - [About Us](https://rcedp.org/partnership) - [About Us](https://rcedp.org/partnership) - [RCEDP Team](https://rcedp.org/team) - [Mentor Network](https://rcedp.org/mentor-network) - [Economic Development Council](https://rcedp.org/edc) - [Board of Directors](https://rcedp.org/board-of-directors) - [Donate](https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/Routt-County-Economic-Development-Partnership) # Colorado communities argue the “just transition” from coal isn’t all that just By [Colorado Sun](https://rcedp.org/news/author/colorado-sun) December 30, 2025 at 9:45 AM 1 Minute Read #### The Public Utilities Commission could revisit deals struck for cities and counties that were not in the room when deals were made to close holes left by coal-fired power plants and the mines that supply them The battle over just how just a proposed “just transition” for coal communities facing the loss of power plants and mines is being fought out before the Colorado Public Utilities Commission. Colorado’s push to close all its coal-fired power plants by 2031 — to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — is creating a major economic threat to communities that have relied on jobs and taxes from those plants and the mines that feed them. The fight at the PUC focuses on four coal-fired plants — located in Pueblo, Routt, Moffat and Morgan counties — operated or owned in part by Xcel Energy’s subsidiary, Public Service Company of Colorado. There are two other coal-fired plants that are not under PUC jurisdiction: the Rawhide Generating Station, operated by the Platte River Power Authority, and Colorado Springs Utilities’ Ray D. Nixon Power Plant. Both are slated to close by 2030, although Colorado Springs is considering extending the Nixon unit’s life. Shutting the Xcel Energy units will put a 10% to 50% hole in the tax base of these communities along with the loss of hundreds of jobs, according to PUC filings by the impacted counties and municipalities. In November, the commission issued its decision on what Xcel Energy owed the coal communities, including $203 million dollars in payments to make up for lost property taxes. The communities, however, were left unhappy and dissatisfied. Pueblo city and county, Routt County and the town of Hayden, and Moffat County and the city of Craig are pressing the commission to reconsider its decision. Each is hoping to improve the terms of its just transition package.   [Read The Full Article](https://coloradosun.com/2025/12/23/just-transitions-coal-power-mines-moffat-routt-pueblo/) ## Recommended For You [![](https://rcedp.org/hubfs/DSC_0348.jpg)](https://rcedp.org/news/making-dreams-reality-was-just-part-of-the-job) ### [Making dreams reality was just part of the job](https://rcedp.org/news/making-dreams-reality-was-just-part-of-the-job) [![Picture of Steamboat Pilot & Today](https://rcedp.org/hubfs/P%26T%20Logo.jpg) Steamboat Pilot & Today November 30, 2023 at 8:58 PM](https://rcedp.org/news/author/steamboat-pilot-today) [![](https://rcedp.org/hubfs/Hayden-power-plant-and-cows-in-winter-CROPPED-1024x638-1.jpg)](https://rcedp.org/news/colorado-puc) 1 Min Read ### [Colorado PUC moves to give extra financial help to towns losing coal-fired power plants, but there’s a catch](https://rcedp.org/news/colorado-puc) [![Picture of Colorado Sun](https://rcedp.org/hubfs/CO%20Sun.png) Colorado Sun January 22, 2026 at 1:30 PM](https://rcedp.org/news/author/colorado-sun) [![](https://rcedp.org/hubfs/Hayden-power-plant-and-cows-in-winter-CROPPED-1024x638.jpg)](https://rcedp.org/news/xcel-energy) ### [Xcel Energy plans biomass plant at Hayden Generating Station](https://rcedp.org/news/xcel-energy) [![Picture of Steamboat Pilot & Today](https://rcedp.org/hubfs/P%26T%20Logo.jpg) Steamboat Pilot & Today September 23, 2023 at 3:44 PM](https://rcedp.org/news/author/steamboat-pilot-today) #### Stay Connected Get the latest local business resources and stay informed about long-term economic sustainability initiatives. --- ![logo-white](https://rcedp.org/hubfs/logo-white.png) Routt County, Colorado +1 (970) 717-0721 [info@rcedp.org](mailto:info@rcedp.org) [Follow us on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/RCEDP) [Follow us on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/routt-county-economic-development-partnership/) [Follow us on Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/rc_edp/) [Follow us on Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/user/31yb7rxgbioad423hr67hisepumu?si=1c120763ec024429) - [Events](https://lu.ma/rcedp) - [Entrepreneurship](https://rcedp.org/entrepreneurship-center) - [Business Support](https://rcedp.org/business-retention-expansion) - [Key Industries](https://rcedp.org/key-industries) - [Yampa Valley](https://rcedp.org/overview) - [Data](https://rcedp.org/data/communities) - [News](https://rcedp.org/news) - [About Us](https://rcedp.org/partnership) - [Donate](https://www.coloradogives.org/organization/Routt-County-Economic-Development-Partnership) Copyright © 2024 Routt County Economic Development Partnership [Privacy Policy](https://rcedp.org/privacypolicy) | [Terms and Conditions](https://rcedp.org/termsandconditions) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Colorado Sun", "url" : "https://rcedp.org/news/author/colorado-sun" }, "dateModified" : "2026-04-01T02:51:21.767Z", "datePublished" : "2025-12-30T16:45:00.000Z", "headline" : "Colorado communities argue the “just transition” from coal isn’t all that just", "image" : [ "https://rcedp.org/hubfs/YV%20Bugle%20-%20Hayden%20Station.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://rcedp.org/news/colorado-communities-argue-the-just-transition-from-coal", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://rcedp.org/hubfs/RCEDP-logo-color.png" }, "name" : "Routt County Economic Development Partnership" } } ```