Energy Secretary Chris Wright traveled to Colorado Springs on Friday for an in-person visit to the Ray D. Nixon Power Plant, bringing with him two Republican members of Congress as the Trump administration made clear its opposition to the facility's scheduled retirement. The congressional contingent included Jeff Crank and Gabe Evans, who joined Wright for the tour of the municipally operated plant.
The 260-megawatt facility carried a state-mandated closure deadline of late 2029, tied to Colorado requirements that utilities shrink their carbon emissions. Colorado Springs Utilities lobbied state lawmakers to pass legislation pushing that deadline back by three years, buying time as the utility works toward a greener energy mix. When Wright was pressed on what he expected to happen once that extended 2032 deadline arrived, he said he considered it "highly unlikely" the plant would actually shut down at that point.
Wright was unambiguous about his view of the plant's long-term value. "This is an incredible 100-year asset that is essential to providing affordable, reliable electricity," he told reporters, adding: "Don't build a new gas plant and close a coal plant that is maybe halfway through its lifetime." The gas project Wright alluded to is a 400-megawatt facility called the Williams Creek Generating Station, which the utility intends to construct in an area southeast of Fountain.
Colorado Springs Utilities wasted little time responding with its own message. Within minutes of Wright's remarks concluding, utility staff briefed reporters that the organization had no intention of pursuing yet another closure extension. Utility spokesperson Amy Trinidad issued a statement saying: "We appreciate the Secretary's enthusiasm for a diverse energy portfolio. That said, we value our partnership with state policymakers and are committed to complying with state law." The statement was notable given that the utility's CEO and two board members had been present for Wright's comments.
Crank and Evans both voiced backing for keeping Nixon open and contended that Colorado's push toward renewable energy targets is a primary driver of rising electricity costs in the state. Crank holds the 5th Congressional District seat covering Colorado Springs, while Evans, whose 8th District encompasses northern Colorado, serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and weighed in on the state legislation surrounding Nixon's future.
Wright argued that coal would remain a dominant American energy source for generations, while also acknowledging that solar, nuclear, and natural gas all have a part to play in the broader energy picture. He also highlighted a Geothermal Center of Excellence the Trump administration opened the same day at the National Laboratory of the Rockies. Wright has deep roots in Colorado's energy sector, having founded Denver-based Liberty Energy, an oilfield services company, prior to his Senate confirmation as Energy Secretary in 2025.
Also present at the plant were Utilities CEO Travas Deal and city council members and Utilities board members Dave Donelson and Brandy Williams.
Whether Colorado Springs Utilities will face additional federal pressure over Nixon's future — or whether state lawmakers revisit the closure timeline — remains an open question.