Two pieces of legislation introduced this year in Colorado would expand the state’s use of alternative energy sources and employ an all of the above approach to meet the state’s emission requirements.
HB-1080 from Representative Ty Winter and Senator Byron Pelton encourages Colorado to look at the possibility of small modular nuclear reactors by authorizing an in-depth feasibility study. The study would look at the policies, economics, safety, reliability and environmental impacts of the use of small modular nuclear reactors.
The bill also increases the current limit of pumped hydro storage facilities from 15 MW to 400 MW, opening the door to larger utility scale pumped hydro storage projects. Pumped hydro storage projects already must utilize renewable energy in order to be eligible under the definition of recycled energy so increasing the cap makes sense and would serve to benefit Colorado’s growing renewables industry.
SB-73 from Senator Larry Liston would add nuclear energy to the state’s definition of clean energy. The bill notes that nuclear energy is the largest source of carbon free electricity and has a 92.7% capacity factor which would help prevent future blackouts.
These all of the above approaches are common sense ways to enhance Colorado’s resource mix by focusing on reliability and base load generation.