Each of Xcel’s 10 Colorado coal plants generates less expensive electricity than any of its six Colorado gas plants. Despite the glut of natural gas, fuel costs are generally lower at the coal plants. You can ignore the green line supposedly showing that wind is cheaper than all since subsidized and unreliable wind needs to be backed up by the coal and gas plants. Amazingly, Xcel has announced it plans to shutter its coal plants! The chart below is from an article written by Ron Lehr, former chairman of the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.
