Hidden Costs And Secret Repairs Cloud Colorado’s Largest Coal Plant

By Ishan Thakore | CPR News

Last week, state utility regulators sharply questioned Xcel Energy’s repairs to Colorado’s newest coal-fired power plant, Comanche 3. 

Since it opened more than a decade ago in Pueblo, the behemoth plant has been beset by technical problems and months-long outages. It has been offline since August 2025, when it suffered a catastrophic breakdown. Xcel now believes the plant won’t reopen until at least August 2026, because repairs have been delayed. 

Multiple commissioners on the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) said the plant’s woes could put the state in a bind during the summer, when demand for electricity can skyrocket. 

“Not to state the obvious, but we have a real problem with Comanche 3,” said commissioner Tom Plant during a meeting. 

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