Local environmental group warns Xcel transmission proposal could open 'flood gates' for wind and solar in Elbert County

At the start of the May 20, 2024, Elbert County Planning Commission meeting, Carrie Giblitz, chair of the Elbert County Environmental Alliance, spoke during the public-comment period to warn that Xcel Energy’s proposed transmission route could encourage widespread wind and solar development across the county.

“Colorado’s power pathway will carry the approximately 5,500 megawatts of new wind, solar, and other resources Xcel Energy plans to add through 2030,” Giblitz said, referencing information published on Xcel Energy’s Colorado Power Pathway website. She told commissioners that Xcel engineers told residents the company could place new generating facilities anywhere within roughly 35 miles of a transmission line, and said that range could encompass the full width of Elbert County.

Giblitz urged commissioners to consider the broader land‑use implications before the commission votes on Xcel’s application in two weeks. “If approved, Xcel will open the flood gates to developing wind and solar projects throughout our county,” she said, adding that the metropolitan areas of the state are the primary beneficiaries because transmission moves generation to load centers.

Her remarks were delivered during general public comment; the commission did not take formal action on Xcel’s application during the meeting excerpted in the transcript. Staff noted an upcoming vote on Xcel’s application in two weeks in the meeting agenda.