DENVER — Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, increasingly under pressure from its members and renewable energy advocates for its reliance on coal, plans to close two of its coal-fired power plants and a coal mine in Colorado and New Mexico.
Tri-State said in a statement Thursday that it will close the Escalante Station in New Mexico by the end of this year. It intends to close its operations at the Craig Station plant in Craig and at the Colowyo Mine in northwest Colorado by 2030.
The earlier-than-planned closures are part of the utility’s larger Responsible Energy Plan, Tri-State officials said. The closures will affect about 600 power employees.
The utility will work with state and local officials to support affected employees and their communities during the transition, Tri-State said in a statement.
“Serving our members’ clean energy and affordability needs, supporting state requirements and goals, and leading the fundamental changes in our industry require the retirement of our coal facilities in Colorado and New Mexico,” said Rick Gordon, chairman of the Tri-State and a director of Mountain View Electric Association in eastern Colorado.
