Coal operation ends at Drake Power Plant

The lights in Colorado Springs didn’t flicker, and there was not a sudden disappearance of thick black smoke from the columns that rise above the Drake Power Plant downtown, but Friday marked the end of an era at the nearly 100-year old facility downtown.

At 11:04am, the final load of coal traveled down the conveyor belts into the furnace.

Yes, Drake is considered by most nowadays to be an eyesore, a relic from a different time when people had different priorities, but it did provide decades of service to the city of Colorado Springs, providing both jobs and reliable energy.

It was 1925 when the plant first opened on Conejos Street downtown, named after longtime city councilman Martin Drake, who was also a strong supporter of city-owned utilities.

At that time, coal was the modern and preferred fuel to generate power, and few were concerned about greenhouse gases, or what development could have occupied the property instead.

Just a few years ago, the plan was to close Drake sometime after 2030, despite public demand to shut down coal operations as well as the desire among city leaders to clear the space for more modern development.

In the end however, it wasn’t public outcry nor future projects that drove the decision to end coal burning.

The biggest driving force was the fact that coal is no longer the most economical option.

Colorado Springs Utilities Board Chair Wayne Williams explained, “The price of generating coal became more expensive than we could actually buy power on the spot market, so that didn’t make sense to continue to generate coal at an economic loss.”

“I know there’s some people that think ‘Oh, they bowed to the environmentalists,’” added Mayor John Suthers.  “No, I think what really accelerated this was obviously taking those things into consideration, making sure we had stable power, but just pure economics.

With an output of 225 megawatts, Drake was a powerhouse.

However, CSU made it clear that its other plants fueled by natural gas, along with a growing amount of power from solar and wind, will have no problem filling the void, and the transition will be seamless to its customers.

As of 2020, coal made up 32% of CSU’s power generation.

49% was generated from natural gas, and 17% came from hydro, wind, and solar.

Click here to see CSU’s goal for 2030.

There’s no question this is a step forward for CSU, for the city, and for the environment, but for the 40 or so workers that have spent years or decades running the plant, moving forward isn’t as easy.

“It’s very emotional, says Drake Manager Somer Mese, “we’ve all been saying it’s like a death in the family.”

“I get where we need to go, I see the advancement in technology, I understand that this is old, and being in a metropolitan area, and being one of the last ones.  I understand that.  Being in this industry as long as I have, it’s hard.  You grow up with it.  It’s a sentimental attachment.  So it’s a big change for everyone,” she said.

According to CSU, all but one of those workers already have new positions elsewhere within the utility.

It’s also important to note that Drake as a whole isn’t closing… yet.

Six brand new natural gas-powered generators will operate inside Drake for a few years before the generators are relocated to a location near the airport.

At that time, what remains of Drake can be taken down.

As for the future of the property, Suthers foresees everything from living space to park space, and even a kayaking park where Monument and Fountain Creek come together.

He admitted, however, that he will likely not be in the political picture by
the time those decision have to be made.