List of power stations in Colorado


This is a list of electric power generation stations in the U.S. state of Colorado, sorted by type and name. As of December 2022, Colorado has a total summer capacity of 18,084 MW through all of its power plants, and a year long net generation in 2022 of 58,407 GWh. In 2024 the electrical energy generation mix was 30.4% natural gas, 30% wind, 28.1% coal, 8.4% solar, 2.9% hydroelectric, and 0.1% biomass.
Small-scale solar, including customer-owned photovoltaic panels, delivered an additional net 2,036 GWh to Colorado's electricity grid in 2024. This compares as about 40 percent of the amount generated by the state's utility-scale photovoltaic plants. In 2004, Colorado became the first state with a voter-approved renewable portfolio standard. The RPS requires 30% of electricity sold by investor-owned utilities to come from renewable energy sources by 2020, with 3% from distributed generation.
Wind turbines on Colorado's high eastern plains are productive year-round and continued to proliferate in 2021. Coal has been undergoing replacement with natural gas and renewables in the state's electricity portfolio. Half of the coal mined in Colorado was exported in 2019, and extraction of the states's oil and gas reserves increased to record-high levels.
As coal power plants are closed and some new solar projects delayed, a 270 MW shortfall was projected for the 2024 peak summer load.

Nuclear power stations

The Fort St. Vrain Nuclear Power Plant generated 330 MW of electricity during years 1976 to 1989. Decommissioning and removal of the nuclear components was completed in 1992. The first natural gas combustion turbine was installed in 1995. Colorado had no utility-scale plants that used fissile material as a fuel in 2022.

Fossil-fuel power stations

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.

Natural gas-fired

Waste heat recovery from gas turbines that are used to compress natural gas.

Renewable power stations

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration serves as a general reference.

Hydroelectric

Note: This list excludes Colorado's pumped-storage hydroelectric facilities.
NameLocationCoordinatesCapacity
Year
completed
Refs
Morrow Point Power PlantMontrose County1968
Flatiron Power PlantLarimer County1954
Blue Mesa Power PlantGunnison County1966
Estes Power PlantLarimer County451950
Pole Hill Power PlantLarimer County1954
Crystal Power PlantMontrose County1977
Tesla Hydro Power PlantEl Paso County281997
Green Mountain PowerplantSummit County261943
Shoshone Generating StationGarfield County151909
Towaoc PowerplantMontezuma County1993
Upper Molina PowerplantMesa County1962
Marys Lake Power PlantLarimer County1951
Ridgway Dam Hydropower ProjectOuray County82014
Gross Hydro PlantBoulder County1954
James W. Broderick Hydro PlantPueblo County2019
Manitou Hydro Power PlantEl Paso County51905
Ruedi Power PlantPitkin County51985
Vinelands Power PlantMesa County2022
Lower Molina PowerplantMesa County1962
Tacoma Power PlantLa Plata County1906
Ames Hydroelectric Generating PlantSan Miguel County1906
Carter Lake Hydroelectric ProjectLarimer County2012
Taylor Draw Hydroelectric FacilityRio Blanco County1993
Georgetown Hydro Generating PlantClear Creek County1903
McPhee Dam PowerplantMontezuma County1992
Strontia Springs Hydro PlantDouglas County11986
Ouray Hydroelectric Power PlantOuray County1890
Smuggler-Union Hydro Power PlantSan Miguel County1907

Wind farms

NameLocationCoordinatesCapacity
Year
completed
Refs
Limon Wind Energy CenterLincoln County6012014
Rush Creek Wind ProjectElbert County6002018
Cedar Creek Wind FarmWeld County5512011
Cheyenne Ridge Wind FarmLincoln County498.42020
Peetz Table Wind ComplexLogan County4302007
Bronco Plains WindKit Carson County3002020
Cedar Point Wind FarmLincoln County2522011
Golden West Wind Energy CenterEl Paso County2502015
Heritage Dairy Wind FarmYuma County2502016
Northern Colorado Wind Energy CenterLogan County1742009
Mountain Breeze WindWeld County1712021
Colorado Green Wind Power ProjectProwers County1622003
Carousel Wind Energy CenterKit Carson County1502015
Spring Canyon Wind FarmLogan County1232014
Crossing Trails Wind FarmKit Carson County1042021
Colorado Highlands Wind FarmLogan County912013
Twin Buttes Wind ProjectBent County752007
Twin Buttes Wind II ProjectProwers County752018
Peak View Wind FarmHuerfano County612017
Busch Ranch II Wind ProjectHuerfano and Las Animas counties592019
Kit Carson Wind FarmKit Carson County512017
Huerfano River Wind FarmHuerfano County82013

Solar farms

NameLocationCoordinatesCapacity
Year
completed
Refs
Bighorn Solar ProjectPueblo County2402022
Sun Mountain Solar 1Pueblo County2002022
Comanche Solar ProjectPueblo County1202016
Palmer Solar ProjectEl Paso County602020
Hooper Solar PV Power PlantAlamosa County502015
Grazing Yak Solar ProjectEl Paso County352019
Rawhide Flats Bison Solar PlantLarimer County302016
San Isabel Solar Energy CenterLas Animas County302016
Alamosa Solar Generating ProjectAlamosa County302012
San Luis Valley Solar RanchAlamosa County302011
Greater Sandhill Solar PlantAlamosa County192010
SR Platte Rattlesnake Solar FarmWeld County162017
SR Fort Lupton Solar FarmWeld County132016
Victory Solar FacilityAdams County132016
Clear Spring Ranch Solar ArrayEl Paso County102016
Denver Int'l Airport Solar ProjectDenver County201410MWDC
Alamosa Photovoltaic Power PlantAlamosa County2007
SR Mavericks Solar FarmWeld County2016
SR Skylark Solar Farm Weld County62016
Air Force Academy Solar FarmEl Paso County2011
Colorado State Univ. Solar FarmLarimer County52010
Valley View Solar FarmWeld County42015
SR Kersey Platte Valley Solar FarmWeld County2017
Fort Carson Army Base Solar FarmEl Paso County22010
Rifle Energy Innovation PlantGarfield County22009
Garfield Airport Solar ArrayGarfield County
CRMS Solar FarmGarfield County