ALAMOSA — Xcel Energy will replace the two aging natural gas and oil turbines in Alamosa as part of a Colorado Clean Energy plan it has submitted to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.

The Alamosa 1 turbine was built in 1973 and can produce 13 MW of electricity, and the Alamosa 2 unit, completed in 1977, produces 14 MW of electricity. Both gas/oil units are scheduled to retire in 2026. In the plan, Xcel deemed that continuing to have a plant in the San Luis Valley is an "essential," component of electricity reliability, and after an analysis determined the two turbines that comprise the Alamosa plant need replacement.

Xcel conducted a detailed evaluation of the units and analyzed rebuilding them based upon whether the unit, " has the flexibility necessary to assist in the integration of the increasing levels of variable generation that the Company expects...and assists in maintaining a reliable system." Based on this evaluation, the company chose not to rebuild these gas/oil units. The determination was based principally on the age and condition of the units and the lack of replacement parts.

Xcel also consulted with General Electric, the builder of the original units, and concluded that any rebuild would be a "long [18 months], complex, and costly, process."

Xcel plans the retirement of the existing Company-owned Alamosa plant at the end of 2026 without replacement it would leave no firm production [excluding solar] resources located in the San Luis Valley. The Company believes it is essential from a reliability perspective to continue to have firm generation in the region. Xcel is proposing a 28 MW aero-derivative gas-fired unit with fuel oil as a secondary backup. This choice provides reliable generation to serve the San Luis Valley load at all hours in the event of transmission and/or natural gas supply issues, according to Xcel.

As reported in the Valley Courier last week, Alamosa County Commissioner Lori Laske sent a letter in support of the plan to the PUC in support of Xcel Energy's Colorado Clean Energy Plan 120-Day Report and Xcel Energy's Preferred Plan. The plan includes 22 projects statewide, and would double the amount of renewable energy and include an investment by the utility of $14-$15 billion. According to the letter from Laske, "With the retirement of Xcel Energy's existing Alamosa Combustion turbine in 2025, Xcel Energy is proposing a new 28 MW combustion turbine to ensure reliable electric service in the San Luis Valley by backing up existing energy generation in the area. Furthermore, investments in transmission infrastructure will enhance reliability in the San Luis Valley and throughout the state."

The plan also contains San Luis Valley Transmission Network upgrades of $176 million. The Valley Courier has reached out to Xcel for details on these network improvements.