Administrative Law Judge Connor Farley directed parties to attempt a focused, four-week negotiation to produce redlined rule language implementing elements of Senate Bill 23-292 and to report back to the Colorado Public Utilities Commission.

"I'm inclined to give you all 4 weeks, to do this, to try to maximize the likelihood of getting something really useful," Farley said during the remote public comment hearing on March 4, 2025. He outlined a schedule calling for a redline/report on or near April 4, initial comments (on the redline) by April 23, reply comments by May 7, and a continued remote public comment hearing on May 20 at 11 a.m.

The timeline is intended to concentrate work on the ERP (electric resource planning) portions of the rules—particularly sections discussed as 32-11 and 36-11—and to give parties time to negotiate whether minimum bid-qualification criteria and best-value employment metrics should be established at ERP phase 1 or addressed later in phase 2. Judge Farley said he will issue an interim decision memorializing the process and deadlines.

Stakeholders who discussed the schedule over a short recess reported broad willingness to try the timeline. Xcel Energy, the Labor Coalition, InterWest, Tri-State, Black Hills and others indicated the dates were generally workable, while some parties asked for modest flexibility because of other filings and hearings scheduled in April and May.

Farley closed the session by continuing the remote public comment hearing to May 20 and saying he would issue an interim decision with the agreed process and deadlines. The judge also invited parties to file notices if they needed a short extension to deliver the redlined language on the April 4 date.