Going nuclear: Local support grows for Colorado’s next energy chapter
By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice
As Colorado pursues its climate goals, communities in the northwestern energy corridor are beginning to take a different approach. Instead of relying only on wind, solar, or state mandates, local leaders are turning their attention to nuclear energy as a viable solution.
A new report from the Northwest Colorado Energy Initiative (NCEI), released in June 2025, documents months of public engagement across Moffat, Rio Blanco, Routt, Mesa, and Montrose counties. The report explores whether these communities would be willing to consider participation in the federal government’s consent-based siting (CBS) program for spent nuclear fuel storage or reprocessing.
The report does not make any commitments. Instead, it poses foundatio...