From coal transition to data centers: JOLT summit heads to Grand Junction

By Jen Schumann | Rocky Mountain Voice

Before JOLT became an annual summit, local leaders across Northwest Colorado were wrestling with a difficult question: What comes after coal?

Now they’re holding their fourth summit, and this year’s program includes discussions on geothermal energy, data centers, critical minerals, electric cooperative power supplies, workforce development and Colorado River issues.

“I don’t think that with JOLT, the mission has changed,” said Ray Beck, chairman of JOLT — Joint Organizations Leading Transition. “We’re still trying to educate people on different sources of energy.”

Founded by local officials, educators and industry leaders, JOLT was created as Northwest Colorado communities searched for answers about economic transition and long-term opportunities as coal-fired generation declined. Organizers describe the group as a nonpartisan effort focused on advocating for energy-impacted communities while educating the public about a diverse mix of energy resources.

Beck said the uncertainty facing communities such as Craig and Moffat County helped drive those early discussions.

As a former Moffat County commissioner, Beck said he and his colleagues were trying to understand what the loss of energy infrastructure could mean for county revenues and community services. He maintained then that “Moffat County has a future,” Beck said. “At that point in time, we just didn’t know what that future looked like.”

The challenge carried implications well beyond the power sector.

“Property taxes are the biggest source of revenue, especially for the county,” Beck said. While major employers such as Tri-State and Trapper remain part of the local economy, he said communities have spent the past several years working to get a clearer picture of what comes next.

Coal hasn’t disappeared from the discussion. Federal officials recently ordered Craig Unit 1 to remain in operation beyond its planned retirement date after concluding additional generation would be needed to maintain reliability in the Western region. Polis recently signed legislation requiring additional reporting and pollution-control measures for coal plants that continue operating beyond scheduled retirement dates.

Beck said the recent developments surrounding Craig Unit 1 reinforce the need for a mix of energy sources.

“Don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” he said. While utilities continue planning for the future, Beck said coal still plays a role because it can provide dependable baseload power when demand is high.

Another topic drawing attention is the growing demand for electricity tied to artificial intelligence and data centers, an issue that now has a place on this year’s agenda.

U.S. Department of the Interior Associate Deputy Secretary Karen Budd-Falen will be this year’s keynote speaker.

“Her background as a rancher and decades of work on public-lands issues give her a rare, on-the-ground perspective on how federal decisions around grazing, wildlife and energy development affect Western communities, livelihoods and local governments,” said Tiffany Dickenson, executive director of the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, in a news release announcing Budd-Falen’s appearance.

One topic Beck believes deserves more attention is nuclear energy.

“I think there’s technology and opportunities there for us to move forward with nuclear,” he said. “I think it’s dependable, I think it’s reliable, and at the end of the day, it’ll probably be affordable.”

Beck sees energy as more than a utility service or policy issue.

“Energy is economic development,” he said.

Beck said energy-producing communities support jobs, local businesses, public services and county budgets through the tax base created by energy development.

“It provides jobs, it provides economic development, it provides property taxes, it supports the state of Colorado,” Beck said.

Beck credits JOLT’s staying power to the group’s decision not to champion one energy source over another.

“We’re non-partisan,” Beck said. “We don’t pick winners and losers. We don’t pick one energy or the other.”

Asked what success looks like for the summit, Beck said the value extends beyond the presentations themselves.

“They come to learn, they come to network, they come to build relationships,” he said.

The summit is scheduled for June 18-19 at Colorado Mesa University. A full agenda, speaker lineup and registration information are available at www.joltenergysummit.com.