PowerGab

There's a new amendment floating around that would change the Colorado constitution for one's right to a healthy environment. But what impact would this have on the state and would it ultimately help or hurt? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: Proposed Right to a Healthy Environment Amendment Southwest Power Pool SPP issues Resource Advisory Win a Predato...

Colorado's Electric Utilities join a new RTO. What are the sources of power coming from, and what will that mean for the state and ratepayers? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: https://i2i.org/colorado-joins-the-southwest-power-pool-now-what/ https://x.com/SimonMahan/status/2039723579294527581/photo/1 https://conservationco.org/press-release/release-cons...

The US Department of Energy is looking for states interested in nuclear energy... what are the chances that Colorado is one of them? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this with Matt Solomon, the project manager of the Northwest Colorado Energy Initiative. Show Notes: https://agnc.org/economic-development/northwest-colorado-energy-initiative/ https://mcusercontent.com/feacc8089631e...

The Public Utilities Commission, Xcel Energy, Advocacy Groups, etc. all have different interests they try to protect. But are the people that always get's the wrong side of the deal the ratepayers? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this topic and more. Show Notes: https://energybadboys.substack.com/p/xcel-energys-green-advocacy-backfires Win a Predator Generator Because the grid c...

Is Colorado against having data centers? A bill in the legislature might decide if Colorado will be a prospect for data centers, or if they will avoid the state all together. PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-102 https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1337 Comanche Report https://i2i.org/wp-content/uploads/25V-0480E-Step-...

Colorado produced less energy in 2025 than in 2024. In economic terms, it's in a recession. What is the cause of this, what does it mean for the state, and is there a way to turn things around? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: https://i2i.org/fast-facts-about-colorados-electricity-sector-in-2025/ https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1326 https://i2i.org/...

Colorado's utility bills have risen, but why did that happen and is there an end in sight? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke dive into the reason for the increases and discuss if there's a way to fix them. Show Notes: https://pikespeakbulletin.org/news/utilities-ceo-says-gloves-will-come-off-if-senate-bill-doesnt-delay-closing-nixon-coal-plant/ Also, we have Sarah’s post about the CO Sun...

Coal power plants are already one of the most reliable and inexpensively run energy options, and Colorado utilizes them for base load power. However, new legislation threatens to raise the costs on coal fired power plants. PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: https://i2i.org/us-supreme-court-to-review-boulder-climate-lawsuit-case/ https://bouldercolorado.go...

Colorado's Largest company is leaving the state. Why did they leave and what ramifications will it have on the state? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: Palantir https://www.9news.com/article/money/business/palantir-relocates-headquarters-denver-florida/73-177d0830-b270-4861-8d87-4e3e7f7e5046 Chris Wright https://www.stripes.com/branches/air_force/2026-02...

The Trump Administration repeals the EPA's Endangerment Finding. What does this mean and how will it affect Colorado? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: - https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/4456056/trump-repeals-climate-landmark-rule-axing-emissions-rules-vehicles/ - https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-102 - https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/HB26-1129 W...

Colorado's Public Utilities Commission has given Xcel Energy approval for renewable energy projects in order to try and get federal subsidies. How will this play out and is it a good decision? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: https://coloradosun.com/2025/07/24/new-coal-gas-power-plants-higher-energy-bills-trump-colorado/ https://coloradosun.com/2025/07/...

Winter Storm Fern wreaked havoc with cold temperatures across the United States. What energy resource was responsible for keeping homes warm? And will there be upcoming policies that help or hurt that? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: Utility Dive: https://www.utilitydive.com/news/us-coal-generation-jumped-31-winter-storm-fern-eia/810838/ Euphemisticall...

Xcel Energy proposes rate hikes, but is it Xcel's choice or is it because of the Colorado Legislature? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more with special guest Sarah Montalbano from Always On Energy Research. Show Notes: https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/SB26-022 https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb26-1030 Rumored bill: https://coloradosun.com/2026/01/23/colorado-data-center-b...

The Trump administration gave a stay of executive for a coal power plant in Craig, CO. What does that mean for this rural town and what will happen if it's forced to shut down? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke interview former power plant employee John Kinkaid to find out more. Show Notes: https://www.energy.gov/documents/federal-power-act-section-202c-craig-order-no-202-25-14 https://co...

Xcel recently shut off power for thousands of customers. Why did they do this and how could it have been avoided? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: Shutdown Wildfire matters review committee bill that wasn’t approved. https://content.leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/bill_5_26-0104.02.pdf It prohibits punitive damages if certain conditions are...

The Public Utilities Commission has a new proposed rule that would have them focusing less on energy and more on social justice. What changes would that bring? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: Independence Institute Comments https://www.aoenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/I2I-PUC-comments-Dec-2025.pdf PUC DEI Rulemaking https://www.aoenergy.org/wp-c...

Democratic lawmakers are pulling back on their aggressive renewables legislation after seeing the cost and feasibility. However, Colorado seems to be going in a different direction. PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: NYT Matt Yglesias op-ed “Liberals should support America’s oil and gas industry.” https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/18/opinion/democrats-liber...

Data center panic is back in Colorado. Can Colorado make the power needs of data centers attractive enough to actually commit to moving and staying here? Is there a simple solution? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: https://coloradosun.com/2025/12/10/data-center-power-demands-colorado-xcel-tri-state/ https://www.advocates4cre.org/

The Sierra Club has commissioned a study about the Ray Nixon Power Plant in Colorado Springs that concludes renewables are less expensive, but is the study accurate? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke dive in and find out. Show Notes: https://bigpivots.com/does-delaying-nixon-retirement-make-sense/ https://www.sierraclub.org/colorado/colorado-springs-utility https://coloradosun.com/2025/12...

The Public Utilities Commission plans to phase out natural gas use for home heating to meet emissions goals, but is this realistic and how would it be possible? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: Decision on keeping Comanche 2 open https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIfpLJrh4DA https://puc.colorado.gov/press-release/fact-sheet-comanche-power-plant-unit-2-ret...

Energy Co-Ops may list a variety of places that they get their power from, but how does that work and what arrives to the customers? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: https://coloradosun.com/2025/11/20/colorado-coal-power-comanche-extension/ https://bigpivots.com/bryan-hannegan-the-bigger-leagues/ https://coloradosun.com/2025/11/17/united-power-electrici...

What happens to renewables at the end of their useful life and who is responsible for getting ride of them? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this topic with Executive Director of the Council to Modernize Governance Curtis Schube. Show Notes: Who Pays When Wind Turbines and Solar Panels Wear Out? A Hidden Energy Liability https://energyanalytics.org/hidden-energy-liability/

Colorado's planned replacement of coal power plants with renewables leaves a shortfall in energy, but an increase in costs to ratepayers to make that switch. PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this with Independence Institute intern and Master's Student Ethan Cornell. Show Notes: Xcel, PUC staff, CEO, and UCA petition to delay Comanche 2 retirement until December 31, 2026, htt...

Will Colorado's plan on how to reform the Public Utilities Commission fairly represent Coloradans? PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: PUC Sunset Review:  https://coprrr.colorado.gov/sites/coprrr/files/documents/2025SunsetPublicUtilitiesCommission.pdf Comanche 3 shutdown:  https://coloradosun.com/2025/10/29/colorado-comanche-3-power-plant-issues-...

Growing opposition to new renewables infrastructure has raised some concern with their transparency. PowerGab Hosts Jake Fogleman and Amy Cooke discuss this and more. Show Notes: Site survey:   https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vzyKJvaFjljacKHg-Okm9x7Jnvz_YWyD/view?pli=1 Mitch and Isaac - declining value of wind and solar. https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2025/10/23/the_more_wind_and_s...